Ukraine closes airports in the midst of a conflict with Russia

The Ukrainian government has decided to close airports in eastern Ukraine from midnight to 7 a.m. because of the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Because of Russian attempts to capture control of the airspace, Ukrainian aviation authorities have declared some airspace in the east to be “risk regions.”

After Russia announced a ban on civilian jet travel in the airspace over eastern Ukraine, Ukraine responded.

The announcement, made late Wednesday night, established buffer zones for Ukrainian-controlled traffic to avoid potentially dangerous clashes with Russian-controlled air traffic.

Ukrainian aviation officials cautioned pilots in the region last week to be on the watch for Russian authorities attempting to take control of the airspace and to only accept Ukraine’s controllers.

United Nations Security Council

Ukraine has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday night, claiming that a Russian invasion is close.

The meeting comes two days after Ukraine requested an emergency open meeting of the 15-member council. There was little support in that session for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of independence for two separatist enclaves in Ukraine’s east, as well as his statement that Russian forces would be deployed to maintain the peace.

The meeting actually took place as council diplomats draft a new proposal that would make it clear that Russia is violating the United Nations Charter, international law, and a 2015 council resolution approving the Minsk agreements aimed at restoring peace in eastern Ukraine.

According to them, the resolution would force Russia to immediately return to cooperation.

Zelenskyy addresses Ukraine

Ukrainian President has called for peace, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to accept his proposal. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an emotional address to the nation today, dismissed Moscow’s allegations that his country is a threat to Russia, regretting that a Russian invasion would cost tens of thousands of deaths.