Ukrainian aircraft hijacked from Kabul airport, flown to Iran

Confirming the development, Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin told media outlets that the aircraft was hijacked and flown into Iran with an unidentified group of passengers onboard instead of airlifting Ukrainians. 

A Ukrainian plane, which arrived in Afghanistan's capital Kabul to evacuate Ukrainians, has been hijacked by unidentified people who flew it into Iran.

Confirming the development, Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin told media outlets that the aircraft was hijacked and flown into Iran with an unidentified group of passengers onboard instead of airlifting Ukrainians. 

The minister also informed that the hijackers were heavily armed.

Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation denied the hijacking but admitted that the aircraft did land at Mashhad in northeastern part of the country.

The civil aviation organisation said that the plane had landed in Mashhad for refuelling after which it took off for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, all flights from the Hamid Karzai International Airport have been suspended for the time being.

This is a developing story.

Representative image used