Russia attacks Ukraine: India cancels special flights to Kyiv as airspace closes
Premium- The country has cancelled special flights following Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine
Russia attacks Ukraine: India has cancelled special flights to Kyiv after Ukraine shut airspace today, though the Indian embassy in the country had issued helpline numbers, the Hindustan Times reported. An Air India plane, had, however, taken off for Ukraine on Thursday morning to bring back Indians from the eastern European nation, which is now facing a Russian offensive.
The Indian government's decision comes hours after Ukraine earlier today said that it had closed its airspace to civilian flights because of a "high risk" to safety. Europe's aviation regulator also warned about the hazards of “flying in bordering areas of Russia and Belarus" because of military activities.
Ukraine State Air Traffic Services Enterprise said on its website that the country's airspace was closed to civilian flights starting at 00:45 GMT on Thursday and that air traffic services had been suspended.
Last week, India had removed restrictions on the number of flights between India and Ukraine as well as the availability of seats on them under an air bubble agreement.
242 brought back home from Ukraine
A special Air India flight was on Tuesday deployed to bring back Indian nationals from Ukraine amid escalating tension along the border of the eastern European nation and Russia. The flight with 242 passengers on board landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport(IGIA) in New Delhi late at night, an official from the Tata-owned airline said.
More details are being added.
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