Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning to airlines operating in Russian airspace, stating that it will be "effectively closing" as Kyiv escalates its drone strike campaign.
"We want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, everyone who still uses key Russian airports: the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous," Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by labeling Zelensky's comments a "declaration of state terrorism," vowing to continue Moscow's intensified attacks on Ukraine, which have killed dozens in recent weeks.
Most Western commercial carriers have avoided Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, but airlines from countries like Turkey, China, and Gulf states continue to use it for time and fuel savings on Asia-Europe routes.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation, saying, "Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such - not a single civilian aircraft," and expressed a desire to avoid innocent casualties. He added, "There will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account."
The warning is directed at airlines flying to major Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, where Ukrainian drone attacks have repeatedly disrupted operations. Under Russia's "Kovyor" (carpet) air defense plan, flights are suspended whenever a drone is detected, leading to frequent closures of all four major Moscow airports.
Ukraine has targeted energy facilities and logistics hubs deep inside Russia, including warehouses of major online retailers Wildberries and Ozon. The strikes have caused significant disruption, with several flight cancellations reported on Wednesday alone.
Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions warned clients that while most Ukrainian strikes occur within 300 km of the border, daily attacks deeper inside Russia are "almost certain" to continue this year. The firm noted a "realistic possibility" that the frequency of strikes will increase, and that "miscalculation and/or misidentification is likely in areas related to the Ukraine conflict."
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Putin dismissed calls for negotiations, saying, "They are asking us to resume negotiations... but you don't negotiate with terrorists." He acknowledged Ukrainian strikes had damaged Russian infrastructure but claimed only "10%" of oil refineries remained to be repaired.
Russia's own attacks on Ukraine have intensified, with 12 people killed on Tuesday and fresh strikes on Odesa, Sumy, and Kyiv on Wednesday. The Ukrainian capital has been under attack for seven consecutive days, and Russia's military has announced preparations for "massive" strikes on Ukrainian power stations.
Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine is "bringing the war back to Russia," a strategy aimed at forcing Moscow to feel the consequences of its invasion. Putin, however, insists that Russia will continue its military campaign.
The risks to civil aviation in conflict zones are well-documented. In 2014, a Russian-made missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Last year, the UN aviation agency ruled Russia was responsible for the downing, though the Kremlin has consistently denied any involvement.
More recently, in 2024, Putin apologized to Azerbaijan's president over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, which killed 38 people, attributing the incident to Russian air defense systems repelling Ukrainian drones.
The ongoing conflict continues to pose severe risks to international aviation, with experts warning of potential miscalculations that could lead to further tragedies. As Ukraine expands its drone operations, the safety of Russian airspace remains highly uncertain.
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Source: www.bbc.co.uk