Zelenskyy told airlines that Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe
Volodymyr Zelenskyy told airlines that still use Russian airspace, insurers and key Russian airports on Tuesday that the skies are becoming completely unsafe. He said Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation; Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha notified ICAO that the airspace is not safe, and Ukraine notified the UN of the risks. In Bishkek Vladimir Putin called the warning state terrorism and said Moscow does not negotiate with terrorists. Chinese, Turkish and Gulf carriers still use Russian skies; Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civil flights since February 2022.
Geopolitics··Midday
Zelenskyy warned airlines and insurers that still use Russian skies
In his evening address on Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy told every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer and everyone who still uses Russia's key airports that Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe as Ukrainian drone operations expand. He said Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such, not a single civilian aircraft, and asked foreign ambassadors to relay the warning to their governments. Zelenskyy directed the warning to airlines continuing to operate flights to Russian airports, especially in major cities like St Petersburg and Moscow. He said the safe days in Russia's skies are over and that Ukraine's foreign ministry would give international organisations information on the risks.[1], [2]
Putin called the warning state terrorism and said energy-site strikes were being prepared
Speaking in Bishkek after the SCO summit, Vladimir Putin called the warning state terrorism and said Moscow does not negotiate with terrorists. At the summit in Kyrgyzstan he told reporters that they are asking us to resume negotiations but you don't negotiate with terrorists. The Kyiv Independent reported that he also said the Russian armed forces had been instructed to prepare massive strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities. Russia's military has said it is preparing to carry out massive strikes on Ukrainian power stations. The warning followed six days of Russian jet-powered drone waves over Kyiv.[1], [2]
Sybiha notified ICAO; Chinese, Turkish and Gulf flights are still using the route
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine had officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization that Russian airspace was not safe for civilian aviation and that it wanted to prevent unintended incidents; Ukraine also notified the UN of the risks. Chinese, Turkish and Gulf state airlines are among those still using Russian airspace. Qatar Airways and FlyDubai said they were monitoring the situation. Ukraine's own airspace has been closed to civil aviation since February 2022.[2], [1]
