Shipments of high-quality weapons are flowing into Ukraine from allied countries as Western fears rise that Russia may take military action against its western neighbor, and the earliest estimates indicate that it may start tomorrow, Tuesday.

While Western powers are making last-minute attempts to prevent a Russian invasion, some international airlines have avoided Ukraine's airspace, despite Kiev's declaration that it is not necessary to close it.

And Reuters news agency quoted the aviation consultancy "Obsgroup" as saying today, Monday, that it expects more airlines to avoid Ukrainian airspace.

This came after the Royal Dutch Airlines announced that it would stop its flights to Ukraine and the flights it operates through its airspace, while the German Lufthansa confirmed that it is considering suspending its flights as well.

Reuters reported that the FlightRadar 24 platform for tracking air traffic shows that British Airways flights between London and Asia today appeared to be avoiding Ukrainian airspace.


A British Airways pilot said - in a tweet on Twitter yesterday - that the time of air cargo flights from London to the Thai capital, Bangkok, has increased due to the "current geopolitical conditions."

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine with the outbreak of conflict there in 2014, and all 298 people on board were killed, two-thirds of whom were Dutch.

Diplomacy of the last hours

In the midst of the currently escalating tension, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will arrive Monday in Kiev to continue diplomatic efforts in order to avert what may be the worst crisis in Europe since the Cold War.

Schultz is scheduled to go on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, following in the footsteps of French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited it last week.

Germany - which is accused of being too lenient towards Russia - toughened its tone on Sunday, as German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, "We are in danger of a military conflict, a war in Eastern Europe, and Russia bears responsibility."

Schultz warned that Western sanctions would be "immediate" on Russia if it invaded Ukraine.

Russia has mobilized - according to some Western sources - about 130,000 soldiers near its borders with its western neighbor. However, it - which annexed the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 - denies that it has any intention of invading now, but it requires a set of demands to stop the escalation;

Among them is ensuring that Kiev does not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the Westerners reject this condition.

Some Western press headlines reflected mounting fears of an outbreak of conflict;

Today's British newspaper, Mirror, headlined "A countdown to war" and said that "bloodshed looms in Europe."

stinger missiles

Ukraine confirms that it is prepared to resist any attack, and in the past hours, it received from Lithuania a shipment of American Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and Estonia will send Javelin anti-armor missiles to it, and Latvia will also send Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

The three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, announced earlier that they would provide Ukraine with anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems, and equipment to enhance Ukraine's military defense capabilities in the event of a Russian attack.


The Czech Republic also plans to donate to Ukraine 152 mm artillery pieces with 4 thousand 152 mm shells.

The US Embassy in Kiev announced the arrival of two planes of military aid to Kiev, as part of US support to strengthen Ukraine's defenses.

The Stinger anti-aircraft missiles at low altitude are among the latest American-made anti-aircraft, anti-helicopter and anti-drone missiles.

The Stinger is a light, shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missile that has the ability to strike an air target in any part of it.

Washington supplied the Afghan mujahideen in the last century with this type of missile, and they were able to destroy about 270 Russian planes and helicopters with Stinger missiles.

Since 2014, Washington has provided more than $2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine, and has sent 8 new air shipments of weapons worth $200 million to Kiev, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, lethal munitions, Humvees and radar systems.