Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines, insurers and other operators using Russian airspace that it is becoming increasingly “unsafe”, as Kyiv continues strikes on Russian military targets in response to Moscow’s attacks.
In an address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Russia had changed the tactics of its attacks and intensified missile and drone strikes since August, targeting Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and energy facilities.
“Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” Zelenskyy said, warning that there would be “drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account.”
“Russian airspace will effectively be closing, the war started by Russia is closing its skies,” he said.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was exercising its right to self-defence by targeting Russian military facilities and parts of the Russian economy supporting the war effort.
“This is our defense,” he said, while stressing that Kyiv was not seeking to target civilian aviation.
“Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such, not a single civilian aircraft,” Zelenskyy said.
He urged airlines operating flights to major Russian destinations, particularly Moscow and St Petersburg, to take the warning seriously.
“Drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation,” he said, adding that Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry would provide international organisations with information about the “dangers” in Russian airspace.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had temporarily paused strikes following requests from the United States and another “global power”, maintaining that Kyiv remained committed to diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“When the Americans asked us to pause strikes on Moscow and St. Petersburg on August 25, 26, and 27, we observed that pause,” he said.
“We always support every step toward peace, every step to prevent Russia from making this war endless,” Zelenskyy added.
“The war needs to end, and leaders are right to tell Putin this,” Zelenskyy said.
