Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has warned airlines against using Russian airspace, saying continued Ukrainian drone operations would make flying over the country increasingly unsafe.
In a video address on Tuesday, Zelensky said his warning applied to airlines, insurers and others continuing to use major Russian airports, particularly those serving Moscow and St Petersburg.
“Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” Zelensky said, adding that “safe days in Russia’s skies are over.”
Ukraine has intensified its use of long-range drones against targets inside Russia, with attacks periodically disrupting operations at civilian airports. Russian authorities say air defences have intercepted large numbers of Ukrainian drones during recent raids.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Zelensky’s remarks, characterising threats against Russian airspace as a “declaration of state terrorism.” He argued that such statements were incompatible with Ukrainian claims that it was prepared to pursue peace negotiations.
“One does not hold negotiations with terrorists,” Putin said during a press conference on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova similarly accused Kiev of undermining its stated willingness to seek peace, arguing that attacks affecting civilian infrastructure contradicted those claims.
Zelensky has previously called for Ukraine to substantially increase the number of strikes against targets inside Russia. Moscow, meanwhile, says its own long-range attacks on Ukraine are directed at military targets and conducted partly in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
