Zelenskyy warns that Russian airspace could become unsafe for civilian flights

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on September 1 that the growing intensity of Ukraine's drone strikes could make Russian airspace unsafe for civilian aircraft. He addressed airlines, insurers and foreign governments, saying that the war’s effects were no longer confined to Ukrainian territory and that “Russian airspace will effectively be closing.”

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine does not target civilian planes, but the volume of unmanned aerial vehicles operating over Russia “has to be taken into account.” He urged foreign ambassadors in Kyiv and Moscow to convey the message to their governments and said Ukraine’s foreign ministry would supply international organisations with information on the risks.

The president’s remarks follow a week of sustained Russian attacks on Kyiv, including increased use of jet-powered drones. Ukrainian officials noted a shift in Russian tactics toward smaller, continuous drone waves, which have prolonged air-raid alerts across the capital. While Ukraine’s own airspace has been closed to civilian traffic since February 2022, Russian civilian aviation continues to operate despite occasional disruptions from Ukrainian strikes on military targets.