Airliner takes off from Kyiv to Europe for technical transfer

A Ukrainian airliner took off from the Boryspil airport near Kyiv on the morning of Dec. 19 for a technical transfer to Europe, making it the fourth civilian flight from Boryspil since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The sky over Ukraine has been closed since the start of the all-out war, preventing air transport between the besieged country and the rest of the world.

"On Dec. 19, 2023, around 9 a.m., a technical transfer of the Boeing 777-300 was performed from Kyiv-Boryspil Airport (KBP) to an airport in Europe," the Boryspil airport's management wrote on social media.

The flight was carried out at the request of the plane's Ukrainian operator Skyline Express, with no passengers or cargo on board.

The plane was parked at the airport since the start of Russia's full-scale war on Feb. 24, 2022.

"This marks the fourth successful relocation of an aircraft from Kyiv-Boryspil Airport since the commencement of the war."

According to the statement, the airport's operations remain focused on operational readiness and financial resilience as the invasion keeps the sky closed.

This technical flight helps to test Boryspil's resumption policies and also helps Ukrainian airlines reduce costs and increase their chances of survival until the end of the war, the statement read.

Ukraine's airline companies were heavily hit by Russia's invasion just as they were recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Three major airlines – SkyUp, Windrose, and Skyline Express – continue to operate abroad.

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The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell