Kyiv Igor Sikorsky airport will be closed to all traffic over the period May 14 to 24 while scheduled maintenance work is carried out on the main runway. For the duration of the closure, all flights will be diverted to Kiev's primary aerodrome, Kyiv Boryspil.

In a statement, the airport's managers say that extreme weather, rain and ice have taken their toll on the 1,800 metre-long runway 08/26, necessitating its closure. In January 2017, the airport handled 108,000 passengers, double the amount on the same period last year.

The major carriers that serve the Ukrainian capital gateway include Wizz Air, Belavia, flydubai, and Motor Sich Airlines. For its part, Belavia has announced that its morning flight from Minsk National to Kiev Zhuliany will be cancelled, while afternoon and evening flights will be diverted to Kiev Boryspil.