Ukraine Warns That Russia’s Airspace Is Becoming Completely Unsafe

Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a direct warning to airlines, insurers and travelers using Russia’s airspace: the skies are becoming unsafe, even if Russian authorities do not properly alert them.

“Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” Zelenskyy said. He stressed that Ukraine was not threatening civil aviation or civilian aircraft, but said many drones would be flying in Russian airspace and that airlines would have to take this into account.

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Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe.

He said the airspace would effectively be closed because of Russia’s own war. “The war started by Russia is closing its own skies,” he said, adding that Ukraine did not want innocent people to be killed. He also addressed airlines still flying to Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major Russian destinations.

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The war started by Russia is closing its own skies.

Zelenskyy called on ambassadors in Ukraine and Moscow to pass the information to their capitals. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and other responsible institutions will provide international organizations with information about the dangers in Russian airspace. “Civil aviation has no place in skies where drones are flying,” he said.

The warning follows weeks of intensive Russian drone and ballistic-missile attacks on Kyiv. Ukraine is also urging Western partners to deliver ammunition for air-defense systems as soon as possible.

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Civil aviation has no place in skies where drones are flying.