Zelenskyy Warns Airlines Russian Airspace Is Closing as 4-Year War Expands Drone Risk
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Sep 1
Zelenskyy Warns Airlines Russian Airspace Is Closing as 4-Year War Expands Drone Risk
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Sep 1
Summary
International airlines, insurers and foreign governments were told on Sept. 1 that Russian airspace is becoming unsafe as Ukraine scales up drone operations and the "safe days" over Russia are ending.
Almost a week of relentless Russian strikes on Kyiv drove the warning, with Zelenskyy saying Moscow can no longer expect the air war it launched more than 4 years ago to stay inside Ukraine.
Ukraine said it does not target civilian aircraft, but warned that the volume of UAV activity over Russia will increasingly disrupt flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major airports.
Russian civil aviation has kept operating since the 2022 invasion despite temporary airport closures during Ukrainian attacks, while Ukrainian airspace has remained shut to civilian flights since Feb. 24, 2022.
Kyiv plans to brief international organizations and foreign capitals on the risks, underscoring how the conflict is spilling beyond the battlefield into commercial aviation.