Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines, insurers and airports that Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous, as Ukraine escalates its drone campaign against targets deep inside Russia. He said the war "started by Russia is closing its skies" and urged carriers still flying to major Russian airports, including Moscow and St Petersburg, to reconsider. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the warning as a "declaration of state terrorism" and vowed to continue Russia's own intensifying strikes on Ukraine, while an aviation risk advisory firm said daily Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russian territory were likely to continue and even increase.

Most Western airlines already avoid Russian airspace, but carriers from China, Turkey and Gulf states still use it to save time and fuel on Asia-Europe routes. Ukraine has targeted Russian energy facilities and other infrastructure, with Putin acknowledging damage to oil refineries, though he claimed only 10% still needed repair; Russia, meanwhile, killed 12 people in strikes on Ukraine on Monday and says it is preparing "massive" attacks on Ukrainian power stations. The warning follows precedents including the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, for which the UN aviation body ruled Russia responsible, and a 2024 incident in which Putin apologised to Azerbaijan after Russian air defences downed a civilian airliner.