Russia war fears: US agency urges ‘extreme caution’ to airlines flying near Ukraine
THE US Federal Aviation Administration has urged airlines to exercise "extreme caution" when flying near the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Issuing a notice to US carrier over the weekend, the FAA warned against flying over the Russian-Ukrainian border due to flight safety risks. They noted “escalating regional tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which could potentially result in no-notice cross-border skirmishes, increased military activities and/or conflict”.
US civilian flights around the Russian-Ukrainian border have been prohibited by the FAA since 2014.
US air regulators and the FAA are concerned Russian and Ukrainian troops could down a civilian aircraft in a conflict because of misidentification.
In 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels during fighting with Ukrainian government troops, international investigators said.
Russia and Ukraine have seen rising tensions over conflict between Moscow-backed separatists in Crimea and Kyiv’s military.
In response to Russia’s movement of troops towards Ukraine, and to the country’s navy restricting part of the Black Sea, the US has expressed outrage and threatened retaliation.
US President Joe Biden warning Vladimir Putin that America reserves "the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United States” on Friday.
“It’s clear that it’s a matter of concern when you deploy a lot of troops.
“Well, a spark can jump here or there.”
Figures from the EU say more than 100,000 Russian troops have amassed on the Ukrainian borders and in Crimea.
British warships will also sail to the Black Sea in May amid rising tensions, according to senior Naval sources.