Lviv Airport could resume operations as part of the humanitarian corridor, said Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, in early June.
“This is one of the important things we are looking forward to. We hope that since there is now a grain corridor, there can be a humanitarian [air corridor] provided by the European Union“, Kozitsky said.
However, the attack on Lviv on June 20 by Shahed kamikaze drones confirmed the fact that it will be impossible to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft as long as the war continues, and therefore there will be no flights for now.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the military shot down 32 of the 35 Shahed-136/131 attack drones that Russia launched at Ukraine’s infrastructure and military facilities.
Maksym Kozytskyi said that on the morning of June 20, there were three hits to critical infrastructure facilities in Lviv.
“It is impossible today to cover all areas with the systems that are available – long- and medium-range – today. Air defense is deployed where it is most needed, protecting major cities, infrastructure, nuclear power facilities and the front line“, explained Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Radio Liberty.
According to him, Ukraine simply does not have enough air defense capabilities to cover the country with a cap, as Israel did.
“[The enemy is planning to divert our attention and confuse the air defense system. This is how he depletes our air defense and learns the location of our anti-aircraft missile systems“Ignat added.
All Ukrainian airports are closed to civil aviation from February 24, 2022. Since then, only four civilian aircraft have taken off from the airfields. Roza Vetrov Airlines, Wizz Air, and SkyUp evacuated their aircraft under a special procedure and without passengers on board from Ukraine.
