The President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelenski, arrived in the United Kingdom via Chisinau. Usually, the travels of the Ukrainian leader in recent years would start from the Polish airport Rzeszow-Jasionka.
According to data published by the flight monitoring platform FlightAware, the aircraft used by Zelenski took off Sunday morning from Rzeszow and landed in Chisinau, after which it continued its flight to London, reports news.ro.
Historical flight data shows that the Rzeszow airport was the main logistical point for the foreign movements of the Ukrainian president and the official Ukrainian delegations, after the war in Ukraine began. The Polish city, located near the border, became a key center for the transport of Western officials and military aid destined for Kiev.
For now, the Ukrainian authorities have not specified the reasons why the Chisinau airport was used for the displacement.
The change, however, comes against the backdrop of recent tensions between Ukraine and Poland, sparked by Kiev’s decision to grant an honorary title of “UPA Heroes” to a Special Operations Forces unit. The name derives from the Ukrainian insurgent army, accused of committing mass massacres against the Polish population in Volhynia, during World War II.
In this context, the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, announced that he will request the withdrawal of the highest Polish distinction, the Order of the White Eagle, awarded to Vladimir Zelenski.
In turn, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrei Sibiga, stated that the deterioration of relations between Kiev and Warsaw is not in the interest of either Ukrainians or Poles. The diplomat urged for dialogue and cooperation.