Conflict & Security
Russian airspace 'not safe', Ukraine tells ICAO
Ukraine has formally told the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization that Russian airspace is “not safe” amid the war, shortly before the agency called on member states to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft.
ICAO said Wednesday that “long-range weapons systems, unmanned aircraft systems, global navigation satellite system radio frequency interference, and advanced air defense systems” were among military technologies jeopardising civilian aviation. Its statement did not name any specific country.
The move followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's warning to airlines, insurers and passengers that Russian skies were becoming unsafe because of Ukrainian drones. Zelensky said in his nightly address Tuesday that Ukraine did not threaten civilian aviation or any civilian aircraft, but that there would be drones over Russia “on a scale that has to be taken into account”. He said the risk would last for the duration of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Zelensky's warning “state terrorism” during a televised news conference Tuesday. Zelensky said Ukraine would clear its drones from Russian skies when partners requested it “for the sake of diplomacy” and negotiations, and only for specific periods and destinations.
Air traffic at Russian airports has been regularly disrupted by the approach of Ukrainian drones, whose numbers have increased in recent months. The warning came as Moscow and Kyiv have intensified strikes more than four years after Russia's invasion.
Update
Ukraine formally told ICAO that Russian airspace was “not safe” amid the war.
ICAO said long-range weapons systems, unmanned aircraft systems, radio-frequency interference affecting global navigation satellite systems and advanced air defence systems were jeopardising civilian aviation.
ICAO's statement did not mention any specific country.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 20:33:18 UTC.
Update
A UN agency called for civilian aircraft safety in conflict zones after Zelensky's remarks.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 20:18:26 UTC.
Update
Putin said in a televised news conference that Zelensky's warning was, if said aloud, “a declaration of state terrorism.”
Putin said, “They are asking us to resume negotiations... but you don't negotiate with terrorists.”
Source note: AFP news report published on 1 September 2026 at 20:51:24 UTC.
Update
Putin called Zelensky's Russian airspace warning “terrorism”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 1 September 2026 at 20:40:48 UTC.
Update
Zelensky said Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation or any civilian aircraft.
He said drones would be in Russia's skies on a scale that airlines and insurers must take into account for as long as the war continues.
He said Ukraine would clear drones from Russian skies when partners requested it for diplomacy or negotiations, but only for specific periods and destinations.
The item adds that air traffic at Russian airports is regularly disrupted by the approach of Ukrainian drones.
Source note: AFP news report published on 1 September 2026 at 19:59:28 UTC.
Update
Zelensky specifically warned airlines using Russian airspace, insurers and people using Russia's key airports.
Zelensky said Russian airspace was becoming completely unsafe.
Zelensky said there would be Ukrainian drones in Russian skies on a scale that had to be taken into account.
Source note: AFP news report published on 1 September 2026 at 18:43:23 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
ICAO did not identify any specific country in its safety statement.
The duration and scale of the aviation risk described by Ukraine depend on the course of the war.
Source
AFP news report published on .