Airlines warned against flying near Ukraine

Airlines warned against flying near Ukraine

 The European Aviation Agency (EASA) has warned airlines not to fly over or near Ukraine as Russia is attacking its neighbor.

"In particular, there is a risk of deliberate targeting and misidentification of civilian aircraft," EASA warned in its Conflict Zone Bulletin, according to the news service.

"The presence and possibility of using a wide range of land and air warfare systems pose a significant risk to civilian flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels," she added.

The news service added that Ukrainian airspace was closed to civilian flights in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Neighboring countries, including Moldova and Belarus, where Russian forces were deployed before the attack on Ukraine, were also reported to have closed their airspace.

Reuters reported that air traffic maps in Europe early Thursday morning showed flights over northern and western Europe, with airlines avoiding airspace over Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus.

The United States - and Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy - earlier urged airlines to avoid Ukrainian airspace, although it did not ban air traffic over the countries.

In addition, Reuters noted that Wizz Air, a British low-cost airline, has joined Lufthansa, and KLM is suspending flights in and out of Ukraine.