Ukraine Seeks Global Flight Ban Over Russia Citing Drone Strike Risks

Ukraine closed its national airspace to civilian traffic in February 2022. This followed the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The conflict has expanded since that time. Both sides now conduct frequent long-range drone and missile exchanges across the border.

Ukraine has formally requested that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) urge member states to prohibit civil flights over Russian territory. Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk cited growing risks to commercial planes in a letter to ICAO Chairman Juan Carlos Salazar, noting that the agency itself has acknowledged an increasing threat of weapons targeting civilian aircraft. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian airspace is unsafe due to ongoing Ukrainian drone operations, which target military infrastructure supporting the war effort. While airlines from China, Turkey, and the UAE continue to operate in the region, aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions reported that these attacks have already caused airport closures and flight cancellations within Russia. Ukraine, which closed its own airspace in February 2022, maintains that its drone operations are a necessary response to the ongoing invasion.

1. Ukraine aims to minimize risks to commercial aviation by urging a global flight ban over Russian territory. Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk formally requested this action in a letter to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Chairman Juan Carlos Salazar.

2. The action addresses the risk of weapons targeting commercial aircraft in Russian airspace. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stated that the threat to civilian flights is increasing.

3. Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions reported that Ukrainian drone and missile attacks caused airport closures and flight cancellations within Russia. The firm stated these strikes demonstrate the reach of Ukrainian operations deep into Russian territory.

4. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine targets military infrastructure within Russia that supports the war effort. Ukraine restricts civilian movement to separate non-combatants from commercial traffic near these operations.

1. Airlines from China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates continue to use Russian airspace for international routes. A total ban would force these carriers to reroute. This change would increase fuel costs and flight times for global passengers.

2. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the warning as state terrorism. The Russian government reported that its air defenses destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones between September 1 and September 2, 2026.

3. In 2024, 38 people died when an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash-landed in Kazakhstan after diverting. Russian President Vladimir Putin attributed the crash to Russian missiles detonating near the aircraft. He stated that the event demonstrated the risks of operating near active combat zones.

4. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 174 attack drones and 4 missiles at Ukraine on September 1-2, 2026. Russian forces struck electricity facilities in Odesa. This strike cut power to more than 350,000 homes.