Who is really keeping Ukraine's skies closed

The question of why Ukraine’s skies remain closed is driven by a multi-layered approval and risk system, not a single decision, according to an article featuring Volodymyr Kreidenko, a Ukrainian MP and deputy chairman of the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. The piece explains that opening airspace involves national authorities, international regulators such as EASA and the U.S. FAA, airlines, and the insurance market. It says ICAO sets global standards and recommendations but cannot independently ban flights over a specific state’s airspace. Ukraine formally closed its airspace on 24 February 2022 due to direct threats to civilian aviation, citing missile attacks, strikes on critical infrastructure, and drones across the country that prevented creation of consistently safe corridors. The article also addresses the common comparison with Israel, while emphasizing that aircraft operations depend on route-specific regulator guidance, airline risk decisions, and war-risk insurance availability. It notes the complexity behind legally opening airspace versus restoring actual flights.