What is a 'no-fly zone' and why imposing it in Ukraine can be catastrophic

Russia-Ukraine war: Smoke after a missile attack targeting the Ukrainian capital’s television centre in Kyiv.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues for the eighth straight day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged US’s Joe Biden and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members to impose a ‘no-fly zone’ over parts of Ukraine. This demand has been vehemently rejected by the West with the US President refusing direct pleas of Zelenskiy even as the former Soviet republic sees a rising count of civilian bodies.

What is a ‘no-fly zone’ and why is the US and NATO opposing it?

A 'no-fly zone' is an area established by military power over which certain aircraft are not allowed to fly. During conflicts or wars, ‘no-fly’ zones are imposed to prevent enemies from attacking the country being protected in the zone.

A 'no-fly zone' is different from shutting an airspace that only prevents commercial planes from operating.

If a ‘no-fly zone’ comes into effect, that means the military of the country or alliance that imposed it will have to shoot down flights of the adversary (in this case Russia) if they invade the other country’s airspace.

Why is the West against a ‘No-Fly zone’ in Ukraine?

US President Joe Biden and the NATO can implement a ‘no-fly zone’ over Ukraine but that would mean that they will have to shoot down Russian aircraft - a direct, rapid escalation with Moscow which could inadvertently lead to the onset of World War III leading to catastrophic consequences.

Biden has also been very clear that the US won’t send troops to fight Russia in Ukraine amid desperate pleas from Zelenskiy who said Ukraine "can beat the aggressor" if US and its western allies "do their part" and impose a no-fly zone over "significant parts" of the country.

Even the impassioned plea of a Ukrainian woman to Boris Johnson was rejected by the UK Prime Minister for reasons same as Biden.

A ‘no-fly zone’ essentially means the imposing countries (here, US and its allies) have to take out the ground-based weapons within the firing range too on the other side of the border – in this case Russia and its ally Belarus.

This can immediately cause a direct showdown between Russia and the US after years of simmering tension through the Cold War period.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has not backed down and shrugged off all warnings and sanctions, is not likely to take a ‘no-fly zone’ lightly.

The US had earlier implemented ‘no-fly zones’ in Libya, Iraq and Bosnia. But with Russia, the country which has the highest number of nuclear weapons, the case is different.

Kremlin will retaliate if the West shoots down Russian planes and on-ground weapons catapulting the now localized war into a full-blown World War which many countries will then be obligated to join leading to mass destruction and deaths.

Putin has already placed Moscow’s nuclear arsenal on high alert snowballing the crisis into a worldwide worry. A ‘no-fly zone’ could just be the final push for Russia - prompting the West’s decision of staying away from this spiraling disaster.