PETALING JAYA: All pilots and air operators have been advised not to enter the airspace of regions affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

       The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) issued a safety information (SI) notice on Saturday (Feb 26) on the active conflict zone in Eastern Ukraine along the border with Russia.

       “This SI is to increase awareness to all pilots and operators in response to the volatile security situation and heightened military activity with the closure of the Ukraine, Moldova and a portion of Rostov airspace in Russia,” said CAAM chief executive officer Capt Chester Voo in the notice.

       The circular then reproduced the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) call to operators to avoid all altitudes of various flight information regions in the conflict areas.

       “Air operators are to exercise extreme caution when operating within and in the regions surrounding the airspace stated.

       “They shall monitor the situation, establish or review contingency plans, maintain communications with Air Traffic Control (ATC) authorities, and closely follow ATC instructions and other guidance,” said Capt Voo.

       He added that the ICAO continues to actively coordinate with the authorities concerned on matters, which could impact flight safety.

       “The CAAM will continue to monitor the situation and will notify its aviation stakeholders accordingly should there be any developments,” Capt Voo said.

       On Thursday (Feb 24), Russia launched wide-ranging attacks on Ukraine, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes and artillery, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee.

       Ukraine's government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border in a "full-scale war" that could rewrite the geopolitical order and whose fallout had already reverberated around the world.