Yermak: Ukraine working to restore operations at one airport

Illustrative purposes only: A former Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-300 which was retired in 2019. (Bjoern Strey/Wikipedia)

Ukrainian authorities are working to restore operations at one of the country's airports once security issues are addressed, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak said at the "Made in Ukraine" forum on Feb. 26, the Liga.net outlet reported.

The sky over Ukraine has been closed since the start of the all-out war in 2022, preventing air transport between the besieged country and the rest of the world.

"We are working to open one of our airports. But this will happen only when all security matters (are resolved)," Yermak reportedly said.

"We understand how important this will be for our economic development."

The official did not specify the necessary security conditions or which airport could resume its operations.

Yermak said in November 2023 that Ukraine may allow civilian flights even before the end of the full-scale war but stressed the need for additional air defenses from partners.

Ukrainska Pravda reported last November that the talks concern an airport at one of Ukraine's western cities. Some of the past discussions mentioned Uzhhorod, a city lying at the border with Slovakia, as a potential candidate.

Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said in September 2022 that the first city to resume flights could be Lviv, a major regional center in Ukraine's west.

Read also: Generation of Fire: Young Ukrainians forced to survive first, plan for future later