PRESS RELEASE : The closed sky over Ukraine will change the course of the war with Russia and allow to resolve humanitarian issues – Mykhailo Podoliak

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 4 March 2022.

Closing the sky over Ukraine for Russian aircraft will significantly change the course of the war and help resolve a number of issues, including humanitarian ones. Mykhailo Podoliak, Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office emphasized this during a briefing in Lviv.

He noted that the Ukrainian state will continue its work to ensure that our international partners make this important decision.

“The concept of the closed sky will significantly change the disposition of this war and help us resolve humanitarian issues, i.e. (stop – ed.) the shelling of major cities in Ukraine, and in principle return the Russians to a more or less adequate status. So that they understand that they must fight against the army, if we are already at war, not against the civilian population,” Mykhailo Podoliak said.

That is why he called on the Ukrainian and foreign media to focus attention and emphasize the need to close the sky over Ukraine.

“If we do not want to have problems with the civilian population to the extent that we already have, we must all talk about the need for the closed sky. So that there are no cruise missiles and strike aircraft in the sky,” the Adviser to the Head of Office of the President said.

Mykhailo Podoliak noted that if this issue is resolved, everyone will see in one or two days how not only the negotiating position, but also the situation in Ukraine will change significantly. In particular, there will be no panic among the population, because bombs will not fall from the sky. This will also help the Ukrainian military, as Russia’s ground operations are usually more predictable.

“Everything related to the closed sky – I want you to focus on this,” said the Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office.