EASA has issued a revised conflict zone information bulletin (CZIB), updating its safety guidance around flights in Russian airspace. The update issued on January 9 specifically recommends against operations at all flight levels in Russian Federation airspace west of longitude 60 degrees east.

The European aviation safety agency said the latest CZIB is intended to take account of escalating risks resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and especially those relating to Russian air defense systems and drones. Specifically, the advisory draws attention to the December 25 incident in which an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft crashed after being intercepted by Russian forces during a flight from Baku to Grozny. The flight diverted over the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan.

EASA warned that the deployment of Russian air defense systems in response to Ukrainian missiles and drones could have a direct impact on flight operations. The agency said Russia has “not demonstrated full proficiency” in addressing airspace risks “by implementing an efficient and proactive approach to airspace deconfliction.”

The CZIB also extends the existing warning about dangers related to jamming and spoofing of global navigation satellite systems. It covers the following flight information regions: Moscow, Rostov, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Samura.