KLM suspends flights to Ukraine

With the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine looming, Dutch national airline KLM said on Feb. 12 it is suspending its flights into the Ukraine capital of Kyiv.

KLM appears to be the first airline to pull flights to the country.

“The next flight to the capital Kyiv is scheduled for tonight, but will not be operated,” the carrier said in a statement on Saturday, according to the Moscow Times. “There will be no flights in Ukrainian airspace until further notice.

U.S.-based airlines American, Delta and United all fly to Kyiv and, so far, are standing pat with flights out of New York and Dallas to Ukraine. Air Canada is also continuing to fly into Ukraine at the moment.

The U.S. State Dept. said it plans to evacuate most of its staff from the embassy in Kyiv and the Biden Administration urged all American citizens to leave Ukraine. Canada has already relocated its embassy staff to another location in the country.

The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Italy also urged its citizens to leave Ukraine.

Russia has reportedly amassed nearly 100,000 troops along the Ukraine border and, according to ABC News, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that an attack could be imminent this coming week. U.S. intelligence apparently intercepted messages that indicate an assault could be launched as early as Wednesday, February 16.