Ukraine, neighbours close airspace to civilian flights as Russia’s Putin launches ‘military operation’

UKRAIN, February 24: Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights on Thursday after Russia launched a “military operation” after weeks of intense diplomacy and the imposition of Western sanctions failed to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Europe’s aviation regulator warned about hazards to flying in bordering regions. Moldova, southwest of Ukraine, also closed its airspace, while Belarus to the north said civilian flights could no longer fly over part of its territory.
The Foreign Office (FO) in Pakistan shared emergency contact details for its citizens in Ukraine to get in touch with the country’s embassy for “timely assistance and guidance”.
“Our embassy is available 24/7 to offer assistance to Pakistanis in Ukraine,” the FO said in a tweet after Pakistan’s embassy posted on its account that it was in contact with students who were unable to leave as per an earlier advice.
The embassy said the students had been asked to go to the Ternopil city, “where arrangements for their evacuation will be made as situation allows”.
Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday with explosions heard soon after in the capital and other parts of the country, prompting outrage from United States President Joe Biden who warned of a “catastrophic loss of life”.
Prior to the announcement, he had massed between 150,000 and 200,000 troops along the borders of Ukraine.
“I have made the decision of a military operation,” he said in a surprise statement on television shortly before 6am (0300 GMT).-NNI