Residents of Kyiv were left stunned after spotting a large aircraft flying over the city, despite the no-fly zone that has been in effect since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022.
A video published by Ukraina.ru Telegram channel showed the aircraft clearly visible above the capital. The post noted that the sight “caused a wave of surprise among local residents,” given that Ukraine’s airspace has been tightly restricted for over two years due to the ongoing hostilities.
According to tracking data from Flightradar24, the aircraft originated from the city of Dnipro and appeared to be continuing on its route. Strana.ua Telegram channel identified the aircraft as an An-124 Ruslan, a Soviet-designed strategic airlift cargo plane. Its destination was not disclosed.
The sighting comes just days after French President Emmanuel Macron, during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced that members of the so-called “coalition of the willing” would begin patrolling Ukrainian air and maritime space.
While it remains unclear whether this specific flight is connected to those plans, the event has sparked renewed attention on the current state of Ukraine’s airspace security and the mechanisms governing flight permissions in the warzone.
