Ukraine dismisses reports of Belarusian aircraft entering its airspace
Il-62 military aircraft (illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Reports claiming that a Belarusian Il-62 cargo aircraft crossed into Ukrainian airspace were false, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
What was shared on social media
At around 10:30 PM, reports appeared on social media claiming that a Belarusian Il-62 cargo aircraft had allegedly entered Ukraine's Chernihiv region at 8:30 PM and later crossed the Ukraine-Moldova border.
The authors of the posts cited data from the Flightradar24 service as their source.
What the military said
"No aircraft operated by Belarusian airlines crossed the Ukrainian border. The Air Force Communications Department informed the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council about this. The fake was debunked on the Center for Countering Disinformation's official platforms at 11:30 PM," the Air Force stressed.
Why Flightradar24 should not be relied on
The Air Force reminded that Flightradar24 is a civilian commercial project that collects data from open sources. It is not an official source of information on the status of the airspace and bears no legal responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of the displayed flight routes.
The Air Force explained that Flightradar24 is a civilian commercial project founded in 2006 by Swedish aviation enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, with a platform available through a web browser and mobile apps for iOS and Android.
The Air Force also urged the public to rely on official sources and not to spread fake information.
Earlier, Ukrainian Defense Minister's adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (call sign Flash) also stressed that reports about a Belarusian aircraft allegedly entering Ukraine were fake.
