Ukrainian President Warns Airlines as Drone Attacks on Russia Increase

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a warning to international airlines, insurers, and operators using Russian airspace, stating that Russian skies are becoming increasingly unsafe due to a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes. In a nightly address, Zelensky clarified that Ukraine does not target civilian aviation directly, but explained that the rising volume of Ukrainian drones operating over Russia makes flying through the area increasingly hazardous. He directed his warning particularly toward carriers using major Russian transport hubs, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.

While most Western airlines stopped flying over Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several non-Western carriers continue to utilize the routes. Airlines from China, Turkey, and the Gulf states frequently transit Russian airspace to save fuel and time on flights connecting Europe and Asia. In contrast, Ukraine has maintained a total closure of its own airspace to commercial flights since the conflict began.

Moscow Responds to Warnings

Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to Zelensky's statements during the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, calling the comments a declaration of state terrorism and rejecting calls for diplomatic talks. Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian strikes have caused damage to Russian infrastructure, though he stated that only 10% of affected oil refineries remained to be repaired. He also confirmed that Russia is preparing extensive attacks against Ukrainian power stations, following strikes earlier in the week that killed 12 people.

Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted energy infrastructure and large retail facilities deep within Russian borders. Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions alerted clients that while most Ukrainian missile and drone strikes occur within 300 kilometers of the border, daily long-range attacks deeper inside Russian territory are almost certain to persist. The firm warned that the heightened frequency of strikes increases the likelihood of misidentification or operational miscalculations near the conflict zone.

Aviation Incidents and Historical Context

Safety concerns regarding regional airspace follow previous deadly aviation disasters linked to the ongoing hostilities. Last year, the United Nations aviation agency concluded that Russia was responsible for the July 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board when it was struck by a Russian-made missile. The Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in the incident.

In a separate event in 2024, Putin apologized to the president of Azerbaijan after a commercial airliner was shot down in Russian airspace, resulting in 38 fatalities. Putin described the crash as a tragic incident that occurred while Russian air defense forces were attempting to intercept Ukrainian drones.