Ukraine and the United Kingdom Expand Humanitarian Cooperation

KYIV, Ukraine, July 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

This week Ukraine hosts the military historical project Club of Antique Aircrafts. The projects includes the exhibition of historic aircrafts, the festival and series of demonstrative flyovers by the British flying club Air Squadron  throughout four Ukrainian cities: Lviv, Kyiv, Sevastopil and Vinnytsia. Accompanying the Air Squadron  is one of its founders and a member of British Royal Family Prince Michael of Kent.

Joint efforts in humanitarian sector bring people together and such cooperation carries a positive effect on bilateral relations. Such statement was released by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych during the meeting with Prince Michael of Kent while visiting the retro-aircrafts exhibition in the State Aviation Museum in Kyiv. The exhibitions like this are extremely important, particularly for the education of the younger generation, reiterated Ukrainian President.

During the meeting, President Yanukovych and Prince Michael of Kent discussed the broad range of foreign policy issues, including Ukraine's European integration and modernization. Prince Michael of Kent stressed that in the UK they were closely monitoring the reforms and European integration processes in Ukraine.

The project was jointly organized by the Ukrainian government and the Air Squadron flying club of the United Kingdom which includes over two dozen aircrafts built during the times of World War I and World War II as well as during the post-war period. The antique aircrafts flew all the way from the United Kingdom to partake in the exhibitions and flyovers. Interestingly, the head of the project is Prince Michael of Kent.

Having arrived on June 30, the 60-member UK delegation has already been offered to learn about the current status and future prospects of Ukrainian aviation industry. They are to visit the state aircraft enterprise Antonov and learn about the operation of the design bureau and the assembly shop of the AN-148 and AN-158 planes as well as test-fly the latter.

The members of the British aviation club will also visit the Aviation Brigade of Ukrainian Air Force based in Vasylkiv, Kyiv region. In addition, guests will meet with student of the National Aviation University in Kyiv.

Interestingly, while in Crimea, the antique aircrafts will fly over the battlefield of the reenacted battle of Balaclava, which took place during the Crimean War of 1853-1856.