Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous as drones proliferate over the country, saying civilian aviation can no longer be considered safe while the war continues.

The Ukrainian president stressed that Kyiv does not seek to threaten civilian aircraft, but said the growing drone presence must be factored into decisions over flights using Russian airspace.

‘The safe moments are over’

Addressing airlines operating routes to Moscow, St Petersburg and other Russian destinations, Zelenskyy said Russian skies were becoming “completely unsafe”.

“Ukraine does not pose a threat to civilian aviation as such — to any civilian aircraft,” he said. But he warned that drones would continue to appear in Russian skies and claimed the war launched by Moscow was effectively closing its own airspace.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine did not want innocent lives lost, but insisted international airlines and insurers must recognise the changing risks.

Airlines and insurers put on notice

The Ukrainian president called on foreign ambassadors in Kyiv and Moscow to communicate the warning directly to their governments.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and other institutions will provide international organisations with information about the dangers, he said, while declaring that “civil aviation has no place among drones”.

The warning puts fresh pressure on carriers and insurers already assessing the risks created by Russia’s war and increasingly frequent drone activity.

Moscow’s airports could face greater pressure

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had previously refrained from certain strikes when requested to do so by international partners, stressing that Kyiv remained committed to peace.

But he delivered a stark warning over what happens while the conflict continues: “Russia's skies are now for drones, not for civilian aviation.”

Earlier reports claimed Ukrainian officials had considered a plan involving up to 1,000 drones a day targeting Moscow airports and surrounding areas. The reported proposal was said to involve low-cost autonomous drones capable of identifying and striking targets without direct operator involvement, although the plan was reportedly put on hold.

Zelenskyy: Ukraine beginning to shut down Russian airspace

Sometimes when somebody does something incredibly dumb and commits to a war of ignorance, civilian lives are at stake. After murdering thousands upon thousands of women and children throughout Ukraine, few will mourn the loss of a few hundred Russian lives shot down over the skies of Russia. But it sure might give King Vlad some pause, and a moment to reflect on his own self-made disaster.

Or perhaps I'm just presuming too much to think that the man is even capable of reflection.

Zelensky is a great war hero, and Putin is a genocidal street pig, and a common thug.

Edited yesterday at 08:06 AM1 day by spidermike007