Uzbeks, who flew to Ukraine on the night of February 24 en route Tashkent-Kiev, are currently staying at Chișinău International Airport. The passengers, who were forced to land in Moldova after Ukrainian airspace was closed, were not allowed to cross the border when they were taken to Kiev by buses. Citizens of Uzbekistan are asking for help from officials.
Flight PQ-7980, owned by Ukraine’s Sky Up Airlines, departed from Tashkent at 08:28 local time. The plane, which was scheduled to land at Kiev’s Borispol International Airport, was diverted to Chișinău International Airport due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace following the Russian invasion.
It is unknown at this time how many passengers were on board. It was not possible to determine the information from the online platforms that track flights.
According to FlightAware, Sky Up Airlines flight PQ-7980 landed at Chișinău International Airport on February 24 at 06:40 local time. The passengers were then taken to Kiev in two buses hired by the airline. However, these buses were not allowed to cross the border and were sent back.
A source familiar with the situation told Kun.uz that passengers of the PQ-7980 flight were citizens of Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Border guards allowed Ukrainian citizens to enter the country, but did not accept citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Passengers were forced to return to Chișinău airport by bus. The source said he was unaware of whether passengers were provided with dinner and accommodation.
The plane was forced to land in Moldova because it was not allowed to enter into Ukraine. There was no information on whether the passengers would be transported to Kiev or stay in Moldova until the situation improves.
