Ukraine formally tells ICAO Russian airspace is unsafe for civilian flights
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ICAO urged to abandon flights over Russia (Photo: Airbus)
Ukraine has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, that Russian airspace is unsafe for civilian aviation and urged airlines to avoid flying over the country, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Sept. 2.
Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous amid a “sharp escalation of Russian terror against Ukraine,” Sybiha wrote on X.
“Russia is deliberately ignoring the existing threats caused by its aggression against Ukraine, which has already led to several incidents in recent years,” Sybiha said.
Ukraine decided to notify ICAO so that airlines and governments worldwide are aware of the potential risks, “even if Russia refuses to fulfill its obligation to inform them,” he added.
“We want to prevent unintended incidents,” Sybiha said.
Ukraine calls for ban on civilian flights over Russia
Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk also called on ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar to impose a complete ban on civilian flights over Russian territory, ZN.UA reported on Sept. 2.
The outlet said it had obtained Kalashnyk’s letter to Salazar.
The minister noted that Ukraine closed its own airspace at the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, overnight on Feb. 24, 2022, while Russia has continued to disregard aviation risks created by the war.
Kalashnyk cited several incidents that he said demonstrated the danger, including:
- the 2024 downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft by a Russian S-300 air defense system before the plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan;
- the 2023 destruction of an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet in Russia’s Tver Oblast, which Kalashnyk said involved the same air defense system;
- the March 2026 downing of an Alto NG light aircraft near Kolomna, Russia, by a Tor air defense system.
“Aggressive use of electronic warfare and GPS signal spoofing over the Baltic states and Russia has already affected tens of thousands of flights operated by Ryanair, Wizz Air and Finnair, creating the conditions for navigation-related accidents,” Kalashnyk wrote.
Zelenskyy warned of growing risks over Russia
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sept. 1 that Russian airspace was becoming increasingly dangerous for airlines, insurers and other participants in international aviation.
He said Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and other institutions would provide international organizations with comprehensive information about the risks in Russian airspace.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine was not threatening civilian aircraft, but warning international aviation operators about the growing dangers created by the war and widespread drone activity over Russia.
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