Foreign Airlines Suspend Russia Flights as 416 Ukrainian Drones Trigger New Airport Curbs
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 3
Foreign Airlines Suspend Russia Flights as 416 Ukrainian Drones Trigger New Airport Curbs
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 3
Summary
Foreign airlines have begun suspending flights to Russian airports, Zelenskyy said, after Ukraine warned carriers that expanding drone attacks make Russian airspace hazardous.
416 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight, according to Russia's Defense Ministry, with 116 headed toward Moscow as temporary restrictions hit all four of the capital's international airports and several regional hubs.
Rosaviatsiya rejected Ukraine's NOTAM as illegitimate and said Russian aviation was operating normally, while Putin called Zelenskyy's threat state-sponsored terrorism and warned of retaliation if an air accident occurs.
18,174 Ukrainian drones were downed by Russia in August alone, a fourth straight monthly record, underscoring how routine airport disruptions have become deep inside Russia while Ukraine's own airspace has remained closed since February 2022.
Is Ukraine's airspace warning a genuine safety alert, or a calculated economic weapon designed to completely isolate Russia's remaining global connections?
With air-defense missiles and drones filling the night sky, how long until a catastrophic accident forces the total closure of Russian airspace?
As insurers panic over drone strikes, which major Asian or Gulf airline will be the next to permanently abandon Russian skies?