The chief executive officer of Ryanair Holdings Plc, Michael O’Leary, said that the airline is ready to quickly resume operations in Ukraine after the end of hostilities and the opening of airspace over the country.

According to Bloomberg, Ryanair has hired about 60 Ukrainian pilots and about 80 crew members, who are mainly based in Poland, waiting for the market to open.

According to O’Leary, the airline plans to establish 30 routes and deploy several bases in the country within 12 months of its return.

He is convinced that the reconstruction of Ukraine will provide a huge opportunity for European business and aviation will play a key role.

“The Russians will probably blow up roads and bridges on the way out,” he says, adding that airplanes will be a key mode of transportation.

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent closure of the country’s airspace, Ryanair was the second largest airline in the market. Now the carrier, as the general director says, will strive to win the championship.