EditZelenskyy warns airlines to leave Russian airspace as Kyiv endures another wave of missiles
Ukraine says drones will make Russian skies unsafe; Putin calls the warning “state terrorism” after days of strikes that Ukraine cannot fully intercept
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 1 September told airlines, insurers and governments still using Russian airspace that it is becoming “completely unsafe.” Ukrainian drones, he said, will operate on a scale that must be taken into account.
“Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such,” he added, “but there will simply be drones in Russia’s skies.” He argued that Russia’s war is closing its own airspace and that “drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation.” The message was aimed at carriers that still fly to Moscow, St Petersburg and other hubs – mainly from China, Turkey and the Gulf – after Western airlines stopped overflying Russia years ago.
The warning came after another night of Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region that killed at least 12 people, including rail workers at a depot. Officials said Russia used jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles and was exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptors, the only systems that reliably stop high-speed ballistic weapons. Allied deliveries of those interceptors have fallen sharply in 2026; in some recent barrages Ukraine intercepted none of the ballistic missiles fired at the capital. Zelenskyy has repeatedly said delays in resupply translate directly into civilian deaths.
Ukrainian drone raids have repeatedly shut or restricted Moscow’s main airports throughout 2026. On 18 June, during what Russian officials called the largest attack on the capital since the full-scale war began, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky all closed; hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed and passengers were evacuated from terminals. Similar overnight suspensions followed in mid-June and again in August, often lasting several hours while air defences engaged incoming drones. Even on 1 September, as Zelenskyy issued his warning, Moscow airports were operating only with restrictions after more than 20 drones were reported shot down on approach. The pattern has become routine: temporary “carpet” closures, stranded passengers, and a growing list of cancelled international and domestic connections whenever Ukrainian drones reach the Moscow region.
Более 200 рейсов задержаны или отменены в аэропортах Москвы из-за массированной атаки дронов
В Шереметьево задерживаются около 100 рейсов, во Внуково более 80, а в Домодедово — 27, пишет «Осторожно, Москва».
В ночь на 18 августа московский регион подвергся массированной атаке… pic.twitter.com/fCSpvKuTpt
— Вот Так (@vottak_tv) August 18, 2026
Vladimir Putin, speaking in Bishkek, dismissed Zelenskyy’s statement as “a declaration of state terrorism” and said Russia does not negotiate with terrorists. The exchange marks a further widening of the war’s geography: Russia intensifies strikes on Ukrainian cities while Ukraine signals that it will crowd Russian airspace with drones in return, raising risks for civilian aviation and the political temperature of an already stalled diplomatic track.
This article draws on reporting by EUalive’s partner Suspilne.
Caption: President Zelenskyy making statement “Russian Airspace Will Effectively Be Closing” [Website of the President of Ukraine]
Updated: September 2, 2026 - 06:43
