02-03-2022, 12:31 PM
10 hours ago
"The Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the West to protect our sky. We are asking for a no-fly zone."
This was the impassioned request from a Ukrainian woman who confronted UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a news conference on Tuesday.
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But despite Russian strikes hitting residential areas of Ukraine, and a mounting civilian death toll, there is little sign that the West will implement a no-fly zone. Here's why.
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In a military context, a no-fly zone is designed to stop aircraft from entering banned airspace, usually to prevent attacks or surveillance.
It has to be enforced by military means.
......
A no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that military forces - specifically Nato forces - would engage directly with any Russian planes spotted in those skies and shoot at them if necessary.
......
But Nato's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg ruled out involvement by the organisation, telling NBC on Monday: "We have no intention of moving into Ukraine, either on the ground or in the air."
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has made it clear that Britain would not help enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine because fighting Russian jets would trigger a "war across Europe".
......
And the US has also ruled it out, for similar reasons.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60576443
"The Ukrainian people are desperately asking for the West to protect our sky. We are asking for a no-fly zone."
This was the impassioned request from a Ukrainian woman who confronted UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a news conference on Tuesday.
......
But despite Russian strikes hitting residential areas of Ukraine, and a mounting civilian death toll, there is little sign that the West will implement a no-fly zone. Here's why.
......
In a military context, a no-fly zone is designed to stop aircraft from entering banned airspace, usually to prevent attacks or surveillance.
It has to be enforced by military means.
......
A no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that military forces - specifically Nato forces - would engage directly with any Russian planes spotted in those skies and shoot at them if necessary.
......
But Nato's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg ruled out involvement by the organisation, telling NBC on Monday: "We have no intention of moving into Ukraine, either on the ground or in the air."
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has made it clear that Britain would not help enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine because fighting Russian jets would trigger a "war across Europe".
......
And the US has also ruled it out, for similar reasons.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60576443