Mayday, Mayday, You Are Now Approaching Russian Airspace

Flying is often touted as the safest form of transportation. According to the National Safety Council, the odds of dying in a car crash are approximately 1 in 93, compared to 1 in 9,821 for a plane crash—that is, if you aren’t flying over Russian airspace. 

In recent months, the news has been dominated by alarming stories of planes being shot out of the sky over Russia. These are not cases of technical difficulties or emergency landings but acts often involving Russian missiles. This comes as no surprise, considering that Russia launches missiles and drones through its skies at Ukraine daily. 

At the onset of the full-scale invasion, many will remember how Ukraine promptly closed its airspace. Within virtually the first few hours of the war, flights were halted, and airports were closed. Russia, by contrast, has shown a lack of this same ‘duty of care’ for its population and for international passengers. As a country that is lobbing thousands of missiles, sometimes hundreds in a day, through its skies into Ukraine, it's clear that Russian skies are not a safe environment for civilian aircraft to be operating. Just last month, Russia launched one of its largest assaults ever on Ukraine: 93 missiles and 200 drones in a single day. The month before, another staggering statistic: 120 missiles and 90 drones. 

This growing risk is perhaps why China Southern Airlines, China's biggest airline, has recently suspended flights to Moscow until 2025, citing safety concerns in the region. With mounting calls for Russia to close its airspace, UNITED24 Media takes a look back at some of Russia’s track record—and it’s not great. 

Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243

On December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was en route from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya. During its approach to Grozny, the aircraft was severely damaged by a Russian surface-to-air missile. The pilot came over the radio pleading for permission from Russian air traffic to land but was denied. With no other options, the aircraft diverted and crash-landed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Thirty-eight out of sixty-seven passengers died. 

Following the crash, Russia was uncooperative with the investigation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Moscow of attempting to conceal the true cause of the crash. Early Russian explanations attributed the crash to a bird strike or an internal explosion. 

Despite Russian leader Vladimir Putin's apology for the "tragic incident," Russia has yet to formally acknowledge responsibility for the downing of the aircraft. The Kremlin has emphasized the need to await the official investigation led by Kazakhstan, where the crash occurred, including participation from Azerbaijani and Russian authorities. The plane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been sent to Brazil for analysis, overseen by representatives from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Azerbaijan.

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Russian Air Defense Likely to Have Shot Down a Civilian Plane. This is Not the First Time It Happened

Dec 26, 2024 18:04

Prighozin plane crash 

It’s not only civilian aircraft that need to be wary over Russian skies. Pretty much any airborne object in Russian airspace is susceptible. In August 2023, Russia’s own Yvgenny Prighozin—the former head of the Kremlin-backed mercenary group Wagner—was killed when his jet was inexplicably shot out of the sky. 

Prighozin’s jet was flying between St. Petersburg and Moscow when it was shot down in the Tver region, north of Moscow. Seven passengers and three crew died in the crash, including the Wagner chief himself.

The Kremlin was conspicuously silent after the attack. It was only several days later, in a press conference, that Putin expressed condolence for the families of those who died on board. He failed to confirm the death of Prighozin, speaking only in the past tense to describe him as a man with a “complicated life.” 

If what the Kremlin claims is true, that the jet was “accidentally” shot down, then Russia indeed faces serious problems in its airspace. After all, the jet was just 60 miles north of the capital city at the time it was shot down. 

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17

Ever since the war started in 2014, these incidents have been littered across Russia and even on approach to it. Take, for example, the infamous Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was also shot down in 2014. The Boeing 777 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by a Russian Buk surface-to-air missile. All 298 passengers and crew on board were killed. 

An international investigation concluded that the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile launched by Russian-backed Russian-backed forces or Russian operatives from the occupied areas of Donetsk. The missile system, the Buk M1, was supplied by the Russian Federation.

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic initially claimed responsibility but later withdrew the statement.

On November 17, 2022, the Hague District Court convicted former Russian military officer Igor Girkin, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergey Dubinsky, and former Russian-backed forces battalion commander Leonid Kharchenko in absentia, sentencing them to life imprisonment for their roles in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Donetsk. The court also issued arrest warrants.

On May 24, 2018, Australia and the Netherlands officially held Russia responsible for the tragedy, which remains the deadliest aviation disaster in Ukraine's history and the worst of the 21st century after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Russia is lobbing thousands of missiles and drones

The risks associated with flying over Russian airspace have escalated significantly, particularly due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Airlines such as China Southern are taking precautionary measures to avoid the area altogether, emphasizing the growing concern for Russia’s lack of regard for civilian safety in international air travel. These incidents underscore the urgent need for enhanced global aviation security and accountability regarding Russia. As cries to close Russian airspace grow louder, the evidence becomes more and more apparent. Russian skies are not safe.