“Russian Sky Will Be Closed”, Zelenskyy Warns Air Companies Operating in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued an explicit warning to global commercial carriers, aviation insurers, and operators functioning out of key Russian transit hubs regarding deteriorating safety inside Russian airspace.

The statement cautions that Russian skies are becoming completely unsafe for air travel due to ongoing aerial activity connected to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leadership clarified that these conditions stem directly from the operational reality of unmanned aerial vehicles active over Russian territory.

Russian authorities have failed to issue standard aviation warnings or properly report these hazards to international flight operators, resulting in a de facto closure of the airspace.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine poses no threat to civilian aviation itself, yet the war initiated by Moscow is effectively shutting down its own skies.

“Although the Russian authorities do not report this as they should, the Russian sky will de facto be closed: the war unleashed by Russia is closing its sky,” Zelenskyy said.

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War in Ukraine

Russia Turned Its Air War on Ukraine Into Round-the-Clock Terror: Kyiv Faces 57 Alerts in 5 Days

Sep 01, 2026 13:50

In May 2026, Russia announced plans to impose sweeping restrictions on civilian aviation over the Moscow region, effectively closing much of the airspace for flights operating below 5,100 meters.

The Interregional Public Organization of Pilots and Aircraft Owners (AOPA) reported that these measures were designed to create a restricted zone extending toward the Belarusian border, St. Petersburg, and the Yekaterinburg region.

While scheduled commercial passenger and medical evacuation flights were granted exemptions, the move was a direct response to a massive drone operation, during which nearly 600 drones targeted Russian military-industrial and fuel infrastructure.

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