- Ukraine formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace was "not safe", following repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory.
- The ICAO, a United Nations agency, made no immediate public comment.
- Russia's aviation watchdog called Ukraine's warnings illegitimate and "invalid".
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that his military's drones would make Russian airspace "completely unsafe" for the duration of the war; Russian President Vladimir Putin described this as "a declaration of state terrorism".
- Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said on X: "Against the backdrop of Russia's drastic escalation of terror against Ukraine, Russian airspace is becoming increasingly unsafe."
- Sybiga urged everyone to avoid Russian airspace, stating that Russia has been deliberately ignoring existing threats, which has already led to several incidents.
Ukraine has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is 'not safe', citing ongoing drone strikes on Russian territory.12
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga emphasized that, "Against the backdrop of Russia's drastic escalation of terror against Ukraine, Russian airspace is becoming increasingly unsafe," urging international airlines to avoid it.6
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian military drones would render Russian airspace "completely unsafe" for the duration of the conflict.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned these remarks as "a declaration of state terrorism", highlighting the rising tensions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.45
The ICAO, a UN agency responsible for civil aviation standards, has yet to comment publicly on the situation.
Russia's aviation authority dismissed Ukraine's warnings as "illegitimate and invalid", while regularly closing airports in response to Ukrainian drone strikes.
Notably, in 2024, Russian air defenses mistakenly shot down an Azerbaijani passenger jet during what Moscow claimed was a Ukrainian drone attack, raising further concerns about air safety in the region.
“Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga urged everyone to avoid Russian airspace, saying Russia has 'deliberately ignoring the existing threats' leading to several incidents. Russia's aviation watchdog dismissed the warnings as illegitimate and 'invalid', while the ICAO made no immediate public comment.”
