ACU March 2022-LR

EDITORIAL
Monthly: VOl 12 | Issue 03| No. 108
Middle East, Africa, Asia & beyond
Air Cargo Update is a platform to disseminate
news and tackle issues in the global air
freight industry with emphasis in the Middle
East, South Asia and Africa.
Derailed
Just as the world was seeing some signs that the Coronavirus
pandemic could become endemic, meaning we could live with it
just like other deadly diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis
as long as we get the COVID-19 vaccines, Russia’s aggression
towards Ukraine worsened and escalated to a full-blown
invasion.
The 27-member EU nations and other countries around the
world had agreed to impose economic sanctions against Russia
but it remains defiant, continuing the assault against Ukraine.
Remarkably, the Ukrainians have taken a unified stand against
Russia to defend their freedom and democracy, their families
and loved ones, taking up arms against their aggressor despite
their limited military knowledge and supplies, a heroic deed
indeed.
ChiefEditor
Gemma Q. Casas
gemma@7dimensionsmedia.com
Contributors
Nirmala Rao
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Millions of Ukrainians have since been displaced internally and
an estimated 7 million more are likely to seek refuge on
neighboring countries around Europe. Airlines have been told
to avoid the Russian airspace temporarily and Russian aircraft
are banned from entering the EU zone. Additionally, the EU said
it will spend €450 million on weapons and equipment for
Ukraine.
Lives have been lost, landmarks and icons, including that of
Ukraine’s pride, the Antonov AN-225 Mriya (dream in
Ukrainian), the world’s largest aircraft which can carry up to 640
tons, dubbed as the workhorse of the air cargo industry.
Antonov AN-225, the only one of its kind in the world, was
parked at Gostomel airfield near Kiev, the capital of Ukraine,
when it was destroyed during a Russian attack. Reports said it
could take five years to repair the plane costing at least $3
billion.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, “This was
the world’s largest aircraft, AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (‘Dream’ in
Ukrainian). Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they will
never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and
democratic European state. We shall prevail!”
The conflict between the two former Soviet states have forced
many flights, cargo included, to be rerouted, further disrupting
the supply-chain which is on a critical mission to deliver COVID-
19 vaccines, other medical essentials and supplies.
Undoubtedly, this could derail efforts to curb the pandemic and
global economic recovery efforts. Instead, it would lead inflation
on food prices, energy, etc., to go even higher, apart from
unimaginable humanitarian toll.
May the path to peace be found soon.
Gemma Q. Casas
Editor-in-Chief
AirCargoUpdate
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