An Air India flight that had gone to Ukraine to bring back stranded Indians has returned to Delhi due to Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) at Kyiv. Ukraine said it has closed its airspace amid Russian military operations in its eastern breakaway areas.

Air India’s second special flight AI-1947 left for Ukraine’s Boryspil airport on Thurday morning.

Earlier today, a special flight of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) carrying around 182 Indian nationals mostly students, landed at the Delhi Airport from Kyiv at 7:45 am.

The first flight from Ukraine had returned on Tuesday at 11:40 pm, carrying 240 passengers.

Several airlines are operating special flights including Air India to bring back Indian nationals safely.

With large-scale military operations unfolding in eastern Ukraine, commercial flights would be at a very high risk due to the chaotic nature of the airspace, which would likely be crowded with military anti-aircraft activity.

The representatives of India’s Ukraine International Airlines are very happy to announce that the first evacuation fight from Kyiv operated successfully with Indian nationals.