Zelenskiy says Ukrainian drones have effectively closed Russian airspace - reuters.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines, insurance companies, and passengers that Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe due to the presence of Ukrainian drones. In his nightly address on September 1, Zelenskyy stated that the skies over Russia would effectively be closed for the duration of the war, advising those who still use key Russian airports and airspace of the growing danger.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine does not pose a direct threat to civilian aviation and does not target civilian aircraft. However, he cautioned that Ukrainian drones would continue to operate in Russian skies on a scale that must be taken into account. He argued that while Russian authorities are not properly announcing the danger, the country's airspace is effectively closing as a result of the war that Russia started.

Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the warnings by characterizing Zelenskyy's comments as a declaration of state terrorism. Speaking during a televised news conference, Putin rejected the prospect of peace talks under these conditions, stating that while Ukraine is asking to resume negotiations, "you don't negotiate with terrorists."

The escalation comes more than four years after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a conflict in which both Moscow and Kyiv have recently intensified their aerial strikes. Air traffic at Russian airports has been regularly disrupted in recent months due to the approach of Ukrainian drones. Many of these Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted sites associated with Russia's oil industry.

Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its own air attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. A recent overnight strike on September 1 killed at least 12 people and injured