‘Hardly possible’ air travel in Ukraine resumed by end of year, Air Force warns

Civil aviation is hardly possible to operate during a full-scale war and so it is still dangerous to resume air traffic in Ukraine, Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, said on Friday.

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Earlier, A delegation of executives from Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost airline, arrived in Ukraine on Thursday to discuss the resumption of flights in the future.

Speaking on national television, Mr Ihnat said he believes it will be impossible to negotiate with Russia to stop the shelling for civilian aviation to operate safely.

"We are at war, we are under martial law, and you can see that missiles and enemy drones can appear anywhere in the country," he stressed.

"I think it's really nice that even in this situation there are people willing to enter the Ukrainian aviation market. We are a big country, we need air links not only with other countries but also within the country."

The Air Force spokesman also spoke of the issue of aircraft and passenger insurance, adding it is unlikely that civil aviation will be restored by the end of the war.

"Of course, we would like to see aviation start working, but the airspace over Ukraine is closed, and I think it will not be opened soon," he added.

The European Aviation Safety Authority said earlier this year the restrictions on flights over Ukraine, as well as Moldova, Belarus, and Russia, will likely remain in place until 2029.