Ukraine warns UN aviation body that Russian airspace is unsafe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday addressed airlines and their passengers, warning that Russian airspace will become "completely unsafe" for the duration of the war because of Ukrainian drone activity. He stressed that Ukraine does not threaten civil aviation as such and has no intention of endangering any civilian aircraft, but that the sheer scale of drones over Russian skies means anyone planning flights there must take this into account.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets and oversees global civil aviation standards, did not immediately comment on Ukraine's statement.

Foreign ministry urges avoiding Russian airspace

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous given the sharp escalation of Russia's terror campaign against Ukraine. He called on everyone to avoid it, adding that Russia is deliberately ignoring the threats created by its own aggression against Ukraine.

Previous incidents

Air traffic at Russian airports has been regularly disrupted in recent months due to approaching Ukrainian drones, with such incidents increasing in frequency. In 2024, Russian air defense forces mistakenly shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane, which Moscow claimed happened during a Ukrainian drone attack.

Ukraine's own airspace has been closed to civil aviation since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.