Zelenskyy cautions airlines about safety of Russian airspace amid rising drone activity

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told airlines on Tuesday that the growing use of drones by Kyiv makes Russian airspace increasingly hazardous. He urged carriers, insurers and operators of Russian airports to reconsider flights over the country, saying the skies would see "drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account." Zelenskyy emphasized that civilian aviation itself would not be targeted, but the heightened risk should be acknowledged.

The warning comes as Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and logistics hubs, aiming to raise the war’s cost for Moscow. While most Western airlines have avoided Russian routes since the February 2022 invasion, some carriers from China, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates continue to use the airspace.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian threat as a declaration of "state terrorism" and said the Kremlin would keep intensifying its own attacks on Ukraine. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Putin also rejected any notion of resuming negotiations, stating, "You don't negotiate with terrorists."