---
title: "Ukraine is not Israel: why the return of civil aviation to the country will follow its own scenario"
description: "Irina Mosulezna, an expert from Join UP! Ukraine, explained why the return of civil aviation to Ukraine will not repeat the Israeli scenario: the nature of threats and security infrastructure are fundamentally different."
date: 2026-08-20T15:28:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-aviation-return-not-israel-scenario
tags: [civil-aviation, ukraine, israel, war, airports, tourism, travel]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ukraine is not Israel: why the return of civil aviation to the country will follow its own scenario

![A passenger by the terminal window watches a plane take off at sunset — a symbol of Ukraine's return of civil aviation on its own scenario](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/21/ukraine-aviation-return-not-israel-model/ukraine-aviation-return-not-israel-model-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- There are no direct analogues to the Ukrainian situation in global civil aviation; there is no ready-made scenario for the return of flights.
- The Israeli model cannot be mechanically transferred due to differences in the nature of threats and attack methods.
- The return of flights will be gradual, while routes via Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic will remain in place.

The return of civil aviation to Ukraine, according to industry experts, is unlikely to follow any ready-made scenario. In an exclusive piece for WAVE (RBC-Ukraine), the head of Join UP! Ukraine, Irina Mosulezna, emphasized that while international experience can provide important benchmarks, there are simply no direct analogues to the Ukrainian situation on the global stage. After the end of hostilities, the country will have to develop its own approach to the gradual restoration of flights, relying on the internal specifics of threats and infrastructure.

### Why Israel is not a ready-made benchmark

Israel is often cited as an example of a country that continues to function, including its civil aviation, under conditions of constant security threats. However, as Mosulezna notes, the Ukrainian situation has fundamental differences. Israel has been building its security system, early warning mechanisms, and response infrastructure for decades. Even if Ukraine had similar systems, mechanically transferring the Israeli model would be impossible: the nature of the threats and the means used for attacks differ.

### Middle Eastern and UAE models: where the analogy is appropriate

According to the expert, it is not entirely correct to compare Ukraine with Middle Eastern countries that temporarily restrict or resume air transport during specific escalations. There, the scale of risks is different, and such restrictions usually follow shorter cycles. The example of the UAE, which made tourism an important part of its economic strategy, may be more useful in terms of the role of tourism in economic recovery rather than as a ready-made model for aviation functioning during wartime.

### Gradual return and working with passengers

If the security situation allows for the gradual return of civilian flights, the process will likely not be instantaneous. Initially, it will involve cautious and limited steps that can subsequently be scaled up depending on the situation. Carefully planned communication with passengers becomes particularly important: which airports will be operational, what restrictions will apply, how to check in, what happens in the event of an air raid alarm, and how to plan travel time.

### Routes via neighboring countries will remain

The potential opening of Ukrainian airspace will not mean the immediate disappearance of routes via neighboring states. According to the expert, tour operators will continue to work with airports in Moldova, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and other countries. The return of air travel will take time and coordinated work by all market participants: initially, these may be individual or limited flights, and subsequently—a wider network of destinations, if safe conditions allow.

### Contradictory data

On the one hand, in the public discourse, Israel consistently appears as a 'working' example of aviation functioning under threat, and this analogy is most often offered as a template for Ukraine. On the other hand, the Israeli model itself in 2026 does not look like a stable support: against the backdrop of ongoing escalations in the Middle East—including strikes on targets in Lebanon, accusations against Israel of striking a Syrian military airfield (August 18, 2026), and escalation regarding Iran—even there, aviation and infrastructure risks remain volatile. Thus, the discrepancy lies in the fact that proponents of a direct analogy see Israel as proof of system resilience, whereas industry experts point to the fundamentally different nature of threats for Ukraine and the fact that none of the Middle Eastern models can be mechanically transferred.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Ukraine is not Israel: why our model for the return of flights will be different](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/trips/ukrayina-izrayil-chomu-nasha-model-povernennya-1787235850.html) - Первичный источник: цитаты и аргументация Ирины Мосулезной (Join UP! Украина) о неприменимости израильской и ближневосточных моделей к Украине, поэтапном возвращении рейсов и сохранении транзитных маршрутов.
- [Syria and the US accuse Israel of striking a Syrian military airfield](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5/20260818-%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%B8-%D1%81%D1%88%D0%B0-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D0%B2-%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%83-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%83-%D0%B0%D1%8D%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%83) - Контекст для блока «Противоречивые данные»: подтверждает волатильность ближневосточной обстановки в августе 2026 г., что ослабляет тезис об Израиле как стабильном ориентире.
- [Israel announces it has attacked more than 300 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and intends to strike...](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5/20240923-%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%8A%D1%8F%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BB-%D1%87%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B5-300-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%8A%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2-%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BB%D1%8B-%D0%B2-%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8-%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%BC-%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC-%D0%B2-%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B0) - Контекст для блока «Противоречивые данные»: подтверждает волатильность ближневосточной обстановки в августе 2026 г., что ослабляет тезис об Израиле как стабильном ориентире.
- [They attacked the wrong one. The war with Iran has pushed Israel and the US back to the last century](https://svpressa.ru/war21/article/513555/) - Вспомогательный контекст об эскалации с Ираном; используется лишь как фон для аргумента о нестабильности израильской модели, без прямых цифр в статье.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why is the Israeli experience not suitable as a ready-made template for Ukraine?
**A:** According to Irina Mosulezna, Israel has been building its security and early warning system for decades, but the nature of threats and attack methods in Ukraine are different, making it impossible to mechanically transfer this model.

### Q: Will the return of flights be instantaneous?
**A:** No. The expert expects cautious and limited steps that can then be scaled up depending on the security situation, provided that the rules are explained to passengers in advance.

### Q: Will routes via neighboring countries disappear after the opening of Ukrainian airspace?
**A:** No. Tour operators will continue to work with airports in Moldova, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and other states, and the return of air travel will require time and coordination among market participants.