Kyiv-bound Air India flight returning to Delhi

Ukriane closed its airspace to civilian flights in the wake of a Russian offensive

Air India flight AI1947 is coming back to Delhi due to NOTAM at the Kyiv airport in Ukraine. NOTAM is a notice issued to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the flight.

At the time where Russia declared war on Ukraine, the country had closed its airspace for civilian flights because of a ‘high risk’ to safety.

Flight AI 1947 started from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) at around 7.30 am for Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv. The plane was expected to arrive there in nearly six hours. However, it turned back before landing due to Ukrainian authorities issuing NOTAM. The flight is expected to land in Delhi at 12.30 pm.

Earlier, a special flight from Ukraine with 182 Indian nationals, including students, on board landed at IGI. It was the second flight being operated by Air India to bring back Indians from the eastern European nation safely.

The first flight, operated on February 22, brought back around 240 people.

On February 19, Air India announced that it would operate three flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a war on Ukraine. He said the clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces are "inevitable". Putin even called on Ukrainian service members to "lay down their arms and go home".

He said the special military action was "aimed at demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine". Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenksy said he unsuccessfully sought talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Zelenksy said a "major war in Europe" could be started by Russia soon.