Ukrainian Drones Make Russian Airspace Dangerous: Zelensky Warns Airlines

KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines, insurance companies and operators using Russia’s major airports that flights face a sharply increased risk due to growing drone activity in Russian airspace.
Zelensky said that intensifying Ukrainian drone operations are making Russian airspace “completely dangerous.” He stressed that Ukraine does not target civilian aircraft, but that the presence of drones in Russian skies must now be regarded as a genuine risk to air travel. He called on airlines, insurers and companies operating out of Russia’s key airports — including Moscow and St. Petersburg — to reassess the risks, warning that Ukrainian strikes could effectively force the closure of Russian airspace.
The Ukrainian president also accused Russian authorities of failing to properly warn the public about aerial threats. He added that, at the request of its partners, Ukraine could temporarily pause drone strikes in specific timeframes and directions if diplomatic talks required it.
The statement comes as Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone strikes inside Russia, targeting military installations, oil and gas infrastructure, and other key sites. Russia, in turn, has intensified its own air strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted sharply to Zelensky’s remarks, calling them “state terrorism” and saying there could be no negotiations with terrorists — though he also hinted at the possibility of substantive talks to resolve the conflict.
The warning came on a day when Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 12 people in and around Kyiv. The escalating aerial exchange between Russian strikes and Ukrainian retaliatory drone attacks marks a further intensification of the air war between the two countries.