EDITORIALMonthly: VOl 12 | Issue 03| No. 108Middle East, Africa, Asia & beyondAir Cargo Update is a platform to disseminatenews and tackle issues in the global airfreight industry with emphasis in the MiddleEast, South Asia and Africa.DerailedJust as the world was seeing some signs that the Coronaviruspandemic could become endemic, meaning we could live with itjust like other deadly diseases such as malaria and tuberculosisas long as we get the COVID-19 vaccines, Russia’s aggressiontowards Ukraine worsened and escalated to a full-blowninvasion.The 27-member EU nations and other countries around theworld had agreed to impose economic sanctions against Russiabut it remains defiant, continuing the assault against Ukraine.Remarkably, the Ukrainians have taken a unified stand againstRussia to defend their freedom and democracy, their familiesand loved ones, taking up arms against their aggressor despitetheir limited military knowledge and supplies, a heroic deedindeed.ChiefEditorGemma Q. Casasgemma@7dimensionsmedia.comContributorsNirmala RaoAyesha Rashedayesha@aircargoupdate.comSales&MarketingIsrar Ahmadisrar@7dimensionsmedia.comHeadOperationsMohammad Karimullakarimulla@7dimensionsmedia.comCreativeDirectorMohammed Imranimran@7dimensionsmedia.comPhotoJournalistWasim Ahmedwasim@7dimensionsmedia.comMillions of Ukrainians have since been displaced internally andan estimated 7 million more are likely to seek refuge onneighboring countries around Europe. Airlines have been toldto avoid the Russian airspace temporarily and Russian aircraftare banned from entering the EU zone. Additionally, the EU saidit will spend €450 million on weapons and equipment forUkraine.Lives have been lost, landmarks and icons, including that ofUkraine’s pride, the Antonov AN-225 Mriya (dream inUkrainian), the world’s largest aircraft which can carry up to 640tons, dubbed as the workhorse of the air cargo industry.Antonov AN-225, the only one of its kind in the world, wasparked at Gostomel airfield near Kiev, the capital of Ukraine,when it was destroyed during a Russian attack. Reports said itcould take five years to repair the plane costing at least $3billion.Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, “This wasthe world’s largest aircraft, AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (‘Dream’ inUkrainian). Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they willnever be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free anddemocratic European state. We shall prevail!”The conflict between the two former Soviet states have forcedmany flights, cargo included, to be rerouted, further disruptingthe 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 andglobal economic recovery efforts. Instead, it would lead inflationon food prices, energy, etc., to go even higher, apart fromunimaginable humanitarian toll.May the path to peace be found soon.Gemma Q. CasasEditor-in-ChiefAirCargoUpdate4
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