The day we’ll see planes in Ukrainian skies
Since 2022 commercial flights have been grounded in Ukraine. The day we fly again is a critical sign of victory. Kyiv is considering reopening airports, but is it worth the risk?
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“We started taxiing, powered up the engines, and the commander quietly muttered, 'God have mercy,' recalled Yevheniia Bilonohova, a pilot of the Ukrainian airline company SkyUp.
As citizens of a country where no civilian planes fly, Yevheniia and her colleague can only pilot aircraft on business trips outside the country. Over the last three years, no civilian aircraft have flown over Ukraine. Only military jets, drones and missiles have soared above the heads of Ukrainians.
But soon, that could change. The white contrails of commercial jets may once again trace their way across the Ukrainian sky.
Open airspace would be one of the key indicators that Ukraine is returning to being a relatively peaceful state, and regaining complete control over its infrastructure. Additionally, the reopening of the airports would help Ukraine recover economically and accelerate reconstruction. And more than anything, it’s a signal of Ukraine having overcome outrageous odds – a sign of victory, even.
In 2023, then-Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov laid out three principles that would determine whether Ukraine had won the war. Being able to fly on a commercial flight from Kyiv was one of them (the prosecution of war criminals and the restoration of its borders were the others).
Since Trump was elected president, discussions about reopening Ukraine’s airspace have been revived, due to the potential for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Boryspil, the country’s main airport just east of Kyiv, recently estimated that the security infrastructure for the resumption of civilian air traffic is 60 to 70 percent complete.
This means one thing: Ukraine is nearly ready to reopen its airspace.
"After the start of the full-scale invasion, I did not fly for six months. On my first flight, my commander and I boarded the plane, uncertain what to do after such a long break. But our bodies knew the drill,' Yevheniia told The Counteroffensive about her first flight after the full-scale invasion abroad.
Yevheniia has been fascinated by the sky since she was a teenager. When she was fifteen or sixteen, she visited an airport for the first time while traveling to Georgia for an educational exchange.
From that moment, the sky captured her heart and never let go.
Initially, her family was surprised by her ambition to become a pilot. They didn’t take it seriously. Her parents said that she would need to learn to parachute first, and her sister even told her she'd have to shave her head to look like a man.
Despite their doubts, they supported her, and by the age of 21, Yevheniia was flying a Boeing plane.
"Once, I was in a taxi, and when I told the driver I was a pilot, he couldn’t believe his ears. It turned out he had spent his entire life thinking that women couldn’t do this," Yevheniia Bilonohova told The Counteroffensive.
The first fifty commercial flights were like the first ones. She had to constantly remember how to fly the plane, gauge the fuel, and keep passengers safe. At the same time, she was flying from different airports in Ukraine. This allowed her to constantly open what Yevheniia calls a new chapter of her life.
February 2022 was a game changer. A week before the full-scale invasion, foreign intelligence agencies warned that Russia had amassed troops and was about to attack. International airlines began canceling flights to Ukraine. Domestic flights were also suspended as aircraft owners demanded that all planes be taken abroad. At the same time, Kyiv tried to convince them that these measures were unjustified.
Yevheniia's colleagues and the pilot herself did not believe Russia would actually carry out a full-scale invasion. Nevertheless, they were asked to take bug-out-bags on flights just in case.
On the night of the invasion, around midnight, Yevheniia arrived in Kyiv from a flight from Dubai. She was tired. As she changed with the crew, her colleagues told her something was happening.
While Yevheniia had been in the sky for about ten hours, a state of emergency had been declared in Ukraine. After she went to bed, Yevheniia awoke to explosions.
Ukraine had closed its airspace two hours before Putin announced the invasion on live television. Since then, no civilian aircraft has been allowed to leave or fly over any Ukrainian territory.
The logistical routes are now limited to road, rail, and sea transport. Customs lines now stretch for miles, with drivers often waiting days at the borders. And even with these restrictions, not all are safe. Ships and Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea are being systematically shelled.
The closed airspace has made it challenging to travel not only within Ukraine, but it has also affected air traffic in much of Europe and parts of Asia. Flights now have to be rerouted around Ukraine. As a result, many airlines suffer economic losses due to the increased flight times and distances.
The flight shutdown has taken a heavy toll on Ukrainian airline companies. Some went bankrupt, while others, like Yevheniia's company, began leasing their planes and crews to other companies.
"Now we fly wherever we need to. Wherever a company finds work for us, we go... And it's not just one country; it's always different destinations, different places," Yevheniia explained.
Currently, Yevheniya's life revolves around business trips around the world, as the Ukrainian airline does not have a single base from which to fly. In between, she gets to come back to Ukraine and rest for a while. Then it's on to a new city, the plane controls, and the sky.
Nevertheless, airports are preparing for a possible reopening. Currently, three cities are vying to be the first to welcome planes again: Kyiv, the capital; Lviv; and Uzhhorod, all in the far west. International budget airlines Ryanair and Wizzair have already stated they are ready to resume flights as soon as the ceasefire is lifted.
Boryspil, where Yevheniia used to fly frequently, is the largest airport in Ukraine and, therefore, would have the most impact if it reopened. Before the invasion, it handled 60% of Ukraine's passengers.
Currently, the airport’s management says that once the skies are reopened, it will take only a month to resume operations. However, given the frequency with which Kyiv comes under fire, many feel it is too early to discuss the reopening of Boryspil.
Lviv Airport is a more realistic target, given that it is close to the border with Poland. Flying time to NATO territory is only seven minutes. The airport is currently exploring the possibility of resuming civilian flights, and is even conducting evacuation drills.
Uzhhorod, in the deep South West, seems the most secure, with one end of its runway located on the Slovak border. However, the airport is small and cannot accommodate the the large commercial planes that are typically used for mass air travel, according to aviation expert Valerii Romanenko. Uzhhorod is designed only for aircraft with a capacity of 50-70 passengers.
Meanwhile, the issue of ensuring safety for both airport personnel and passengers remains controversial.
"It will be difficult to shoot down ballistic missiles because even the Patriot system does not offer a 100 percent guarantee. Additionally, we would need to deploy 1-2 Patriot [air defense] systems to cover this airport reliably. We only have eight of them. This means we must leave two regional centers or other important infrastructure sites unprotected," explained aviation expert Valerii Romanenko.
There have already been incidents in Ukraine when the Russia-backed forces shot down civilian aircraft. In 2014, a missile from a Russian Buk anti-aircraft system hit a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The crash over the Donetsk region killed all 298 passengers on board, including 80 children. The Dutch, which have been a strong supporter of Ukraine ever since, consider the disaster their version of 9/11.
Moreover, Russia has shot down civilian aircraft even over territory it controls. In December, an Azerbaijani plane flying to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria – currently occupied by Moscow – was shot down by a Russian air defense system. It is possible that Ukraine could accidentally damage its own aircraft in the event of an attack on its airports.
It’s not even necessary to fire missiles to disrupt air travel, as every time Russians deploy planes equipped with hypersonic missiles, it would trigger an air alert across Ukraine. This would completely disrupt flight schedules and lead to significant economic losses due to the paralysis of air travel.
"There are so many factors involved, including the operation of electronic warfare systems, GPS failures, and many other issues, that even the manufacturer of our plane has not yet provided us with instructions on how to proceed… Am I ready to fly? No... And will the passengers be ready?" SkyUp pilot Yevheniia said.
Furthermore, it should be noted that most airlines lease aircraft from third parties. According to Valerii Romanenko, owners are unlikely to agree to operate a leased aircraft under such high levels of risk.
"I don't know how to fly under these conditions during this stage of the war, but even if a political decision is made, we will have to learn and prepare for many new challenges," says Yevheniia.
Ukrainians miss the sky.
And we will see the steel birds over our heads again as soon as we have the chance.
But perhaps we will have to wait a little longer.
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NEWS OF THE DAY
1/2 UKRAINIAN MINERALS FOR US AID: The Trump administration has offered to take half of Ukraine's rare earth minerals as reimbursement for U.S. aid to Ukraine since 2022, NBC News reported. The U.S. has also signaled that it might deploy troops to protect these minerals if Kyiv reaches a peace deal with Moscow. Zelenskyy reportedly refused to sign until he consulted with others and studied the draft treaty in detail. Trump has long expressed interest in Ukrainian minerals because they are essential for the production of technological products.
At the same time, Zelenskyy claimed that Ukraine “has low chance to survive” without the U.S. military aid.
ZELENSKYY CALLS FOR THE CREATION OF EUROPEAN ARMY: Russia aims to deploy troops to Belarus that could be used to invade Ukraine and other NATO countries, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the Munich Security Conference. This signals that Europe needs its own armed forces, he said. Zelenskyy said. He emphasized that the U.S. will not support Europe “just because it has always been that way.”
HUNGARY BLOCKS EU NEGOTIATIONS ON UKRAINE: Poland, which will hold the EU Council presidency till July 2025, has presented a letter outlining key reforms that Ukraine must implement. The letter was supported by all countries, except by Hungary, which introduced an additional condition for Kyiv: the development of a plan to protect national minorities. This could block the opening of talks in April.
EUROPE QUIETLY MAKING PLAN TO SEND TROOPS TO UKRAINE: Europe is secretly working on a plan to send troops to Ukraine, the AP reported. In December 2024, on the eve of Trump's inauguration, NATO countries met with Zelenskyy at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The format and composition of the proposed peacekeeping mission will depend on the terms of a potential agreement. However, the negotiating countries have not disclosed details yet, aiming to prevent Russia from gaining a strategic advantage if talks proceed.
GERMANY RESPONDS TO VANCE'S CRITICISM OF EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY: Recent comments by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance during the Munich Security Conference, claiming that freedom of speech is “in retreat" in EU countries, have drawn a sharp response from German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Pistorius called such comparisons “not acceptable” to him, arguing that European democracies should not be equated with authoritarian regimes. According to him, democracy in Europe is now more stable and resilient than ever.
DOG OF WAR
Today’s dog of war is a cute puppy who came herself to Mariana, thinking she had some food for her. But, unfortunately, Mariana didn’t have any :(
Stay safe out there.
Best,
Mariana
I hope the planes will fly over a free, democratic Ukraine in the future. Today's news reports, though, again sound ominous because of the U.S.'s Putin Jr. and Hitlerish Elon and the Muskrats. Stay well and safe.
This is fantastically good reporting. Keep it up!