Airspace all over Ukraine has been restricted for civil flights, according to a notice to airmen (NOTAM) distributed by government agencies and airport operators. The de facto closure of the airspace went into effect at 01:56 local time on Thursday and is set to last until 23:59 the same day.
The notice cited a “potential hazard for civil aviation” as the reason behind the alert.
Prior to the alert, the newly recognized Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) requested Russian military assistance against Ukrainian “aggression” and an alleged genocide of civilians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently announced on Thursday that a “special military operation” would take place in the Donbass region.