Uzbekistan Airways Reroutes Flights to Europe, Avoiding Russian and Belarusian Airspace

As of January 20, Uzbekistan Airways began operating flights to European countries bypassing Russian and Belarusian airspace, according to the publication Daryo. According to the Fergana news agency, this announcement was made on January 28 during a press conference marking the airline’s 33rd anniversary.

Uzbekistan Airways flights to European countries will now pass through Azerbaijan and Turkey, the outlet reported.

When asked by the Uzbek news outlet Repost whether the route change was related to the crash of an AZAL plane on December 29, which, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was shot down by gunfire from the ground while flying over Russian territory, the press service of Uzbekistan Airways stated that “this is simply a precautionary measure and, to some extent, route optimization.”

The Uzbek news outlet Repost reached out to the airline’s press service to ask whether the route change was connected to the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane on December 25, in response, the press service of Uzbekistan Airways explained that “this is simply a precautionary measure and, to some extent, route optimization.”

According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijan Airlines plane was shot down by gunfire from the ground while flying over Russian territory.

At the end of November, 2024, a Bundeswehr Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breue, said Russia may be behind the crash of a DHL cargo plane in Lithuania.