Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday issued his strongest warning yet to airlines operating over Russia, declaring that there are “no more safe moments in Russian skies” as Ukrainian drone operations increasingly intersect with civilian air traffic.
The warning was directed not only at carriers but also insurers and users of major Russian airports, with Zelensky arguing that the risks created by the war must now be reflected in decisions over Russian airspace.
“There are no more safe moments in Russian skies. Civilian aviation has no place among drones,” Zelensky said.
Warning to Airlines and Insurers
Ukraine maintains that it does not target civilian aviation. But Zelensky said the scale of drone activity over Russia would increasingly have to be factored into commercial flight planning.
He warned that Russian airspace could effectively become inaccessible to civilian operators as the conflict continues.
According to Zelensky, Russia’s own decision to wage war is driving that process, with Moscow’s skies progressively exposed to Ukrainian unmanned aircraft.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry is also expected to brief international organizations on the issue.
Airspace ‘For Ukrainian Drones’
Zelensky tied any reduction in Ukrainian drone activity over Russia to diplomatic engagement.
“When our partners contact us for negotiations, we are ready to ensure a period of calm in the Russian airspace,” he said.
He added that Ukraine had previously halted certain operations after receiving a request from Washington not to strike Moscow and St. Petersburg, only for Ukraine to subsequently come under attack.
His message was explicit: while the war continues, Kyiv sees Russian airspace as an operating environment for Ukrainian drones rather than one in which civilian aviation can assume normal safety conditions.
Ukraine Draws Parallel With Its Own Closure
Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since February 24, 2022.
As of September 1, 2026, that shutdown had lasted 1,650 days, with commercial aviation still fully excluded.
Zelensky is now arguing that airlines should increasingly apply a comparable risk assessment to Russian skies.
Pegasus Airline Cancels Flights
Pegasus canceled 12 services to and from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, citing the “airspace situation.”
Several flights operated by Turkish carriers also reversed course while airborne, including one that turned back over Lithuania.
Across Moscow’s three airports, 77 flights were delayed or canceled over a 24-hour period.
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