Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 6, 2022 that eight Russian missiles have “completely destroyed“ Havryshivka Vinnytsia International Airport (VIN) located in central Ukraine.
Zelensky confirmed details via a video uploaded to the Twitter account of Eastern European media channel Nexta TV.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy comments on 8 missile attacks on #Vinnitsa and demands to close the sky
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 6, 2022
Havryshovka airport destroyed pic.twitter.com/JukiGRIGZG
“Eight missiles against our city, against our peaceful Vinnytsia which has never posed a threat to Russia in any way. A brutal, cynical missile strike has completely destroyed the airport,” Zelensky revealed in the video message.
Zelensky appealed once more to Western countries to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent more attacks from Russia.
“We repeat every day: close the sky over Ukraine. Close for all Russian missiles, for Russian combat aircraft, for all their terrorists.”
On March 5, 2022, a day before the missile attack on Vinnytsia Airport, Russian president Vladimir Putin warned that any country that sought to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered to have entered into the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Putin also added that imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine would have “colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world”.
The Biden administration has pointed out that imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine is something the U.S. government is trying to avoid.
“It would require, essentially, the U.S. military shooting down Russian planes and prompting a potential direct war with Russia, the exact step that we want to avoid,” White House press secretary Jen Ptsaki told US reporters on March 4, 2022.
Images and videos depicting the destroyed remains of Vinnytsia Airport have been circulating on social media.
Destruction of Vinnytsia airport after missile strike https://t.co/zW6omDJhJE #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/n3fFIUY8NU
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) March 6, 2022
#Ukraine Vinnytsia airport after it was hit by 8 Russian cruise missiles today #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/rP3hWgItKH
— Ukraine live (@Gadhwara27) March 6, 2022