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Drone warning and strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines, insurers, and users of Russia’s key airports that Russian airspace would be “completely unsafe” for the duration of the war because “There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account.”
“Russian airspace would be “completely unsafe””
Reuters reported that on Tuesday Zelenskiy said Russian airspace was effectively closed, adding that “Although Russian authorities are not properly announcing it, Russian airspace will effectively be closing.”
The Inquirer.net account tied the warning to renewed fighting, saying at least 12 people were killed on Tuesday in Kyiv and the surrounding region during fresh massive overnight Russian strikes.
DW reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by branding Zelensky’s comments “terrorismo de Estado,” and said at least 12 people died in Kyiv and the surrounding region during new massive overnight Russian strikes.
Putin’s response and diplomacy
Putin told reporters that “They are asking us to resume negotiations… but you don’t negotiate with terrorists,” framing Zelensky’s warning as a “declaration of state terrorism.”
DW likewise said Putin accused Zelenskiy of proclaiming “terrorismo de Estado” after Zelenskiy warned airlines that Kyiv’s drone offensive had made Russian airspace unsafe.
The Inquirer.net account said Zelensky told partners that Ukraine would clear its drones from Russian skies when partners requested it “for the sake of diplomacy, for the sake of negotiations… for specific periods of time and in specific destinations”.
Reuters added that while European and U.S. carriers do not overfly Russia during the full-scale war, the airspace is used by airlines from countries like China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.
Aviation risk and escalation
Reuters reported that the full risk of Ukrainian drones to aviation over Russia was not clear, but said there have been deadly incidents of civilian aircraft being mistakenly targeted in the region.
“miscalculation and/or misidentification is likely”
Reuters also cited an aviation risk advisory firm, Osprey Flight Solutions, saying attacks deeper inside Russia were near-certain through 2026, including near Moscow and St Petersburg, and that “miscalculation and/or misidentification is likely in areas related to the Ukraine conflict.”
Euronews said Zelensky warned that “Russian airspace will effectively be closing,” and quoted him saying “Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such - not a single civilian aircraft.”
Euronews further stated that Ukraine’s airspace has been closed to civilian aviation since 24 February 2022, while Russian civilian aviation continued operating throughout the war despite disruptions and temporary airport closures during Ukrainian drone attacks.