By Adedayo Isaac Adeoti
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous.
Zelensky issued the warning in his nightly video address on Tuesday, urging airlines that continue to use Russian airspace and major airports, including those in Moscow and St Petersburg, to take the growing risks into account.
“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,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that Ukraine was not targeting civilian aircraft but warned that the increasing number of drones operating over Russian territory could pose risks to aviation.
“Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such – not a single civilian aircraft,” Zelensky said. “There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account.”
Most Western airlines have avoided Russian airspace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, airlines from countries including China, Turkey and several Gulf states continue to use the airspace on some routes between Asia and Europe because it can reduce flight times and fuel costs.
Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions said most Ukrainian drone and missile strikes were likely to take place within about 300 kilometres of the Russia-Ukraine border. However, it warned that deeper strikes inside Russia were almost certain to continue and could increase in frequency in the short term.
The firm also cautioned that the conflict created a significant possibility of miscalculation or misidentification in areas affected by the fighting.
READ RELATED STORY
Russia warns UK it is ‘playing with fire’ over Ukraine missile deal
How Vladimir Putin intends to manipulate Donald Trump
Zelenskyy says Ukraine peace plan nears completion
Speaking to reporters at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Zelensky’s warning as a “bid for state terrorism” and said Russia would respond if such incidents resulted in tragedies. He also accused Kyiv of seeking negotiations while carrying out attacks.
His comments came as Russia continued its strikes on Ukraine. Heavy Russian attacks on Monday reportedly killed 12 people, while Putin said Russian forces had been ordered to prepare for potentially “massive” strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Ukraine has also targeted energy infrastructure and other facilities deep inside Russian territory as it expands its drone campaign.
The issue of aviation safety has remained particularly sensitive since the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people aboard. Russia has consistently denied responsibility, despite a 2025 ruling by the International Civil Aviation Organization that Russia had failed to meet its obligations under international air law in relation to the downing.
Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
