The security of FedEx workers and amenities in Ukraine was unknown Thursday morning as Russia launched a broad invasion of the nation, together with attacking a number of airports.
A FedEx consultant declined to remark Thursday morning. On Wednesday, earlier than the full-scale assault started, the Memphis-based world delivery firm had issued a quick assertion: “We’re carefully monitoring the state of affairs and have contingency plans in place. The security of our crew members is our prime precedence.”
Russia started its large-scale assault on Ukraine on Thursday morning native time. Ukraine has now closed its airspace to civilian site visitors and the European Union Aviation Security Company warned of security dangers in flying in airspace close to to Ukraine’s borders, together with in Russia, the BBC reported.
FedEx posted a discover on its Ukrainian site. “Because of the present circumstances, the availability of providers in Ukraine has been suspended till additional discover. Please comply with the information on the availability of providers right here.” The corporate mentioned shipments already in transit will likely be quickly held in its community.
Competing firm UPS additionally introduced it was suspending service in Ukraine.
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Assaults on airports in Ukraine
News organizations reported a number of Russian assaults on airports across the nation.
The Washington Publish reported a significant civilian airport close to Kyiv had been attacked. “Intensive shelling hit Ukrainian navy items within the east, and rockets and bombs fell on a number of airfields, together with Boryspil, the primary worldwide airport outdoors the capital, Kyiv.”
Google Maps reveals a FedEx facility close to Boryspil airport, operated at the side of TNT, a European firm that FedEx purchased not too long ago. A FedEx doc lists an workplace close to the identical airport.
U.S. navy provides to Ukraine had not too long ago been delivered to the identical airport.
In some instances the Russian navy seemed to be concentrating on Ukrainian navy air bases. As an illustration, Reuters quoted Ukrainian officers as saying that Russian helicopters had attacked Gostomel, a navy airport close to the capital of Kyiv, and Ukraine downed three of them.
CNN reported that Russian airborne troops had taken management of that very same airport, which is often known as Hostomel Airport or Antonov Airport. The broadcaster quoted correspondent Matthew Likelihood as saying Russian troops had let the information crew inside.
“They’ve allowed us to return in and be with them as they defend the perimeter of this airbase, the place the helicopter-borne troops have been landed within the early hours of the morning to make and carry out an air bridge to permit for extra troops to return in,” he mentioned.
The correspondent mentioned the Russians had been in a firefight with somebody, presumably the Ukrainian navy.
Likelihood mentioned, “We listening to some plane within the air . . . There’s a plume of black smoke, grey smoke, brown smoke, coming up from contained in the compound of the air base. I believe there are jets within the sky above us.”
Memphis-based FedEx mentioned it delivers to greater than 220 international locations and territories.
FedEx had not too long ago introduced a brand new cargo flight from Paris to Kyiv and an organization doc lists seven areas inside Ukraine, together with the tackle close to Boryspil airport. It wasn’t clear if this doc represented an entire listing of the corporate operations within the nation.
In a company submitting final 12 months, FedEx mentioned it employed about 565,000 individuals worldwide as of March 2021, of which 182 labored in Ukraine.
The identical report additionally says FedEx has 762 workers in Russia.
The report is written in such a means that the variety of workers in Ukraine and Russia would possibly exceed these figures.
This story will likely be up to date.
Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes suggestions and feedback from the general public. Attain him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.
