Zelenskyy Warns Russian Airspace Could Become Unsafe for Civilian Aviation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned international airlines, insurers and foreign governments that Russian airspace could become increasingly unsafe as Ukraine expands its long-range drone operations.

In his September 1 evening address, Zelenskyy said the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine could no longer be confined to Ukrainian territory, pointing to the growing scale of Ukrainian drone activity over Russia.

He stressed that Ukraine does not intend to target civilian aircraft but argued that the volume of drones operating in Russian skies could make continued commercial aviation increasingly difficult.

Zelenskyy linked the warning directly to Russia’s invasion, noting that Russian missiles and drones initially crossed into Ukraine from Russian airspace. He urged airlines that continue using Russian airspace, insurers and operators serving major Russian airports, including those in Moscow and St Petersburg, to take the emerging risks seriously.

His comments come as Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities have intensified, with repeated waves of drones and missiles placing sustained pressure on Ukrainian air defences and disrupting daily life.

Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, while Russian commercial aviation has continued operating despite periodic disruptions caused by Ukrainian drone strikes.

Kyiv has largely directed its long-range attacks at military facilities and infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort, including airfields, missile installations, refineries and energy facilities. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would continue targeting such sites while seeking to avoid civilian casualties, but warned that the expanding scale of drone operations means international aviation authorities and carriers can no longer assume Russian skies will remain unaffected by the conflict.