Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a strong warning to airlines, passengers and insurance companies still using Russian airspace, saying increased Ukrainian drone operations have made the skies over Russia increasingly unsafe for civilian aviation.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said foreign airlines and aviation-related businesses should carefully assess the growing risks associated with flying over or operating at major Russian airports.
“Today, we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, everyone who still uses key Russian airports: the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy Says Russian Airspace Could Effectively Shut Down
The Ukrainian president stressed that Ukraine was not seeking to attack civilian aircraft. However, he said the expanding presence of drones in Russian airspace could create serious risks that airlines and aviation authorities could no longer ignore.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine does not pose a direct threat to commercial aviation, but drone activity in Russian skies will increasingly affect flight operations.
He warned that although Russian authorities may not formally announce widespread closures, parts of the country’s airspace could effectively become unavailable.
“Russian airspace will effectively be closing,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the war launched by Moscow was now creating consequences for Russia’s own aviation sector.
Ukraine Says Warning Is Intended to Prevent Civilian Casualties
Zelenskyy said Kyiv was issuing the warning primarily to help prevent innocent civilian lives from being lost.
He urged foreign governments, ambassadors and airlines operating flights to major Russian cities to take the situation seriously.
The Ukrainian leader specifically referred to airports serving cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, saying aviation companies flying to important Russian destinations should understand the changing security situation.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian authorities would also provide international organisations with detailed information about the potential dangers facing civilian aviation in Russian airspace.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and other government agencies, he said, would communicate the risks to relevant international bodies.
According to Zelenskyy, skies increasingly affected by drone activity should not be considered suitable for normal civilian flight operations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin strongly criticised Zelenskyy’s warning and described the remarks as a threat.
Speaking at a televised news conference, Putin reportedly called the comments a “declaration of state terrorism” and questioned the possibility of negotiations under such circumstances.
“They are asking us to resume negotiations… but you don’t negotiate with terrorists,” Putin said.
The latest exchange highlights the escalating war of words between Moscow and Kyiv as both sides continue to intensify long-range military operations.
Drone Attacks Increasingly Disrupt Russian Airports
The warning comes as Ukrainian drone strikes have increasingly affected air traffic across Russia.
Airports, particularly those serving major population centres, have faced repeated operational restrictions and temporary disruptions when drones are detected or authorities anticipate activity nearby.
At the same time, Russia has significantly increased its aerial attacks against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
According to Ukrainian officials, at least 12 people were killed in Kyiv and surrounding areas during a fresh wave of major overnight Russian strikes on Tuesday.
The continued escalation in long-range attacks has added another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile security situation more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine Open to Temporary Drone Pause for Diplomacy
Despite his warning, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine could temporarily suspend drone operations in certain locations if its international partners requested such a step to support diplomatic negotiations.
He said Kyiv could clear drones from particular areas of Russian airspace for limited periods in the interest of diplomacy and peace talks.
Such pauses, he suggested, could be considered for specific locations and timeframes if they helped advance negotiations.
However, diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, including efforts involving US mediation, have so far struggled to produce a breakthrough.
With both countries continuing long-range attacks and aviation disruptions becoming increasingly frequent, concerns over the broader security situation remain high.