Zelensky Warns Airlines to Avoid Russian Airspace as Ukraine Escalates Drone Strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines and aviation insurers that Russian airspace could become increasingly unsafe as Ukraine steps up its drone campaign against targets deep inside Russian territory.

In a video address, Zelensky urged airlines that continue to use Russian airspace and airports to reconsider their operations, warning that the growing number of Ukrainian drones could create serious risks for civilian aviation.

Zelensky said Ukraine was not targeting civilian aircraft and did not want innocent people to be harmed. However, he warned that the scale of drone activity over Russia would have to be taken into account by airlines operating in the region.

Ukraine has also formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) about the risks to civilian flights using Russian airspace. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the move was intended to prevent unintended incidents.

The warning comes as Ukrainian drone attacks have increasingly reached locations far from the Russia-Ukraine border. Energy infrastructure and facilities belonging to major Russian online retailers have been among the targets of recent attacks.

Russian airports have also repeatedly experienced disruptions. Under Russia’s “Kovyor” or “carpet” protocol, flights can be temporarily suspended when authorities detect a potential drone threat in an area.

Despite the warning, flight-tracking data showed that numerous aircraft were still operating over Russia, including flights arriving at and departing from major airports in Moscow and St Petersburg. Some flights experienced delays, while several cancellations were also reported.

A number of international airlines said they were monitoring developments and adjusting their operations when necessary. Qatar Airways said its flight planning is based on continuous assessments of airspace security and geopolitical developments. FlyDubai similarly said it was closely following the situation and would modify routes or schedules if required.

Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus cancelled flights to Russia on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing technical and operational reasons, while saying its later services were scheduled to operate.

Russia has strongly criticised Zelensky’s warning. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the remarks as amounting to a declaration of state terrorism.

Putin also rejected the idea of negotiating under such circumstances, as Russia continues its military campaign against Ukraine.

The aviation warning comes against the backdrop of intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. Heavy Russian strikes have caused casualties, while further attacks have been reported in areas including Odesa, Sumy and Kyiv.

The Ukrainian capital and surrounding region have faced attacks on successive days, while Russia has indicated that it is preparing further strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

The safety of civilian aviation has been a major concern throughout the conflict. Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, while many Western airlines have avoided Russian airspace since the war began.

However, airlines from China, Turkey and several Gulf countries continue to use Russian routes on some international services because flying over Russia can reduce travel time and fuel costs.

Concerns over aviation safety have deepened because of previous incidents linked to the conflict. In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The UN aviation agency later determined that Russia was responsible for the downing, although the Kremlin has consistently rejected responsibility.

In another incident in 2024, a commercial passenger aircraft was brought down in Russian airspace, killing 38 people. Putin subsequently apologised to Azerbaijan’s president and said Russian air-defence systems had been responding to Ukrainian drone attacks when the incident occurred.

With Ukrainian drone operations increasingly extending into Russian territory, airlines using the country’s airspace now face renewed pressure to assess the risks to passengers, crews and aircraft.