During the 42nd Session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Head of the Delegation of the Government of Ukraine, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, Serhii Derkach, delivered Ukraine’s National Statement. In particular, he emphasized:

“The Russian Federation’s ongoing violations of Ukraine’s airspace sovereignty — a fundamental principle underpinning the global aviation system — continue to obstruct the development and prosperity of Ukrainian aviation on equal footing with other states. Every night, the Russian military conducts missile and drone attacks on critical and civilian infrastructure, including air navigation facilities, causing large-scale destruction and loss of life.

Today, not only Ukraine but the entire international civil aviation community suffers from Russia’s growing violations of the Chicago Convention and the international legal order. These violations include the dual registration of aircraft leased from foreign companies, the operation of these aircraft without valid airworthiness certificates, and the issuance of unauthorized certificates of airworthiness. Russia remains on ICAO’s Significant Safety Concerns list. Ukraine welcomes the ICAO Council’s decision condemning the Russian Federation for violating the Chicago Convention, which resulted in the downing of flight MH17.

Furthermore, radio frequency interference (RFI) with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) originating from the territory of the Russian Federation threatens the safety of global civil aviation.

Our national manufacturers continue to design and produce aviation products, but tragically, the Antonov An-225 Mriya – the heaviest cargo aircraft ever built – was destroyed near Kyiv in 2022 as a result of the Russian Federation’s illegal, unprovoked, and full-scale armed invasion of Ukraine. A small model of this aircraft and a memorial stand are displayed here at ICAO, in the lobby of this very building, serving as a reminder to us all of this important piece of world aviation history.”

Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach reaffirmed Ukraine’s steadfast commitment within ICAO to the supremacy of international law in civil aviation and the core principles of the Chicago Convention. He also urged ICAO member states not to support the Russian Federation in the ICAO Council elections.

The full text of Ukraine’s National Statement is available at the link below: https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/Meetings/a42/Documents/WP/wp_670_en.pdf