Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace is becoming increasingly unsafe as Kyiv intensifies drone operations against Russian targets.
Kyiv, September 2, 2026: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines, insurers and foreign governments that Russian airspace could become effectively unusable as Ukraine steps up drone strikes against Russian military and war-related infrastructure.
In an address on September 1, Zelenskyy said Russian airspace was becoming “completely unsafe” and urged airlines that continue to use Russian airspace to take the growing drone threat into account.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine does not intend to target civilian aircraft but warned that the scale of drone activity over Russia would create an increasing risk for aviation.
“Russian airspace will effectively be closing,”
he said, arguing that the war launched by Russia was now affecting the safety of its own airspace.
Ukraine warns airlines over Russian airspace
The warning was directed at airlines, insurers and operators using Russian airports, as well as foreign governments whose carriers continue to fly through Russian airspace.
European and US carriers have largely avoided Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion began, while some airlines from countries including China, Turkey and Gulf states continue to use routes over Russia. Reuters reported that these carriers can gain time and fuel advantages by using Russian airspace, but face growing risks as Ukrainian drone operations expand.
Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions has also highlighted increasing drone and missile risks around the Russia-Ukraine border, with concerns extending to areas deeper inside Russia, including around Moscow and St Petersburg.
Ukraine says drone campaign is retaliation
Zelenskyy framed Ukraine's attacks as part of its response to intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
He said Russia had increased the scale of its attacks and that Ukraine was exercising its right to self-defence by striking Russian military targets and parts of the economy supporting the war effort.
The Ukrainian president's warning came after a series of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, including a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv and repeated drone attacks on other cities.
Recent Ukrainian long-range strikes have targeted Russian military facilities as well as infrastructure connected to the country's energy and oil sectors, according to reports.
Growing aviation risk
The expansion of drone warfare into Russian territory is creating a complicated challenge for civilian aviation.
Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine does not intend to attack civilian aircraft, but the presence of large numbers of drones in Russian skies could increase the possibility of disruption or misidentification.
Previous aviation incidents during the broader Russia-Ukraine conflict have underscored the dangers associated with civilian aircraft operating near active combat zones.
Russia's airspace has remained open to civilian aviation during much of the war, although drone attacks have repeatedly caused temporary airport closures and flight disruptions.
Zelenskyy's latest warning therefore represents a significant escalation in the aviation implications of Ukraine's expanding long-range drone campaign.
Moscow rejects Kyiv's warning
The warning has also drawn a strong response from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Zelenskyy's comments as a declaration of “state terrorism”,
Kyiv, meanwhile, has called on foreign governments and diplomatic representatives to communicate the aviation risks to their capitals.
The immediate question for international carriers is whether the increased frequency and geographic reach of Ukrainian drone operations will prompt additional changes to flight routes over Russia.
For now, Zelenskyy's message is clear: Ukraine believes the safety calculation for airlines flying through Russian airspace has fundamentally changed as its drone campaign expands.
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