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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Sam Roberts

Spain holidays: Travel latest for Irish tourists as no-fly zones discussed amid Russia-Ukraine war

Irish tourists are continuing to flock abroad to enjoy the sun and sea of Spain and other destinations in Europe - even in the midst of the outbreak of war in the east.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to the largest military action on the continent since the Second World War.

No-fly zones in specific countries have been discussed - and in some cases already implemented - as the rest of the world looks to tackle the ongoing crisis.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has unsurprisingly advised against travel to the Ukraine, calling on any Irish citizens in the country to "shelter in place".

But what is the travel advice for the rest of Europe, and are "no-fly zones" likely?

Here is everything you need to know:

No-fly zones latest

The UK's Armed Forces Minister James Heappey has responded to calls for a no-fly zone to be put in place over Ukraine.

Servicemen ride atop a Russian armored vehicle in Armyansk, Crimea (AFP via Getty Images)

Despite many British MPs calling for more direct action, Mr Heappey said British troops must not deploy in Ukraine due to the risk of an “existential” escalation against nuclear-armed Russia.

“British and NATO troops should not and must not play an active role in Ukraine. We must all be clear what the risks of miscalculation could be, and how existential that could very quickly become if people miscalculate and things escalate unnecessarily,” he said.

He also rebuffed pleas for the UK to enforce a no-fly zone, saying it would be “somewhat difficult to implement” due to the same issue but with pilots “flying at well over the speed of sound”.

He warned it could “trigger an Article 5 moment” with NATO allies having to enter combat with Russia.

Earlier Tory MP Peter Bone had said: "The Ukraine ambassador to the United Kingdom has asked for us and our allies to institute a no-fly zone of Ukraine. As the ambassador said, people are dying as we speak.

"This action will be a significant and a real help for the people of Ukraine."


Meanwhile the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a no-fly zone for US airlines and pilots three parts of Eastern Europe.

In a statement, the organisation said: “The FAA issued Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) expanding the area in Eastern Europe and Russia where U.S. airlines and U.S. pilots cannot operate. The expanded NOTAMs now cover the entire country of Ukraine, the entire country of Belarus and a western portion of Russia.

“Prior to today's restrictions, the FAA prohibited operations in an eastern region of Ukraine. These restrictions do not apply to military operations.”

Travel advice for popular hotspots

Currently, the Department of Foreign Affairs has not issued any advice to avoid travelling in western parts of Europe including Spain, France and Italy.

Irish citizens heading to Poland should travel with a "High Degree of Caution", with anyone currently in the country asked by the Department "to register their details with the Embassy and to monitor our social media channels for the latest updates".

While the Department is also advising against any non-essential travel to Belarus.

A spokesman said: "Visitors to Belarus should also be aware of widespread military conflict between neighbouring Russia and Ukraine, joint Belarusian/Russian military manoeuvres in the southern and western parts of Belarus, and Russian operations in Ukraine currently emanating from Belarus. We advise against all travel to the regions of Yelsk, Mazyr, Rechitsa, Luninets, Gomel, Asipovichy, Baranovichi and Brest. We also advise against all travel from Belarus to Ukraine.

"Due to the aforementioned conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, flights to and from Minsk are now very limited. Irish citizens wishing to enter or leave Belarus should do so via the land borders with Poland, Latvia or Lithuania. However, visas to enable entry into Belarus will need to be applied for in advance."

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