Zelensky warns airlines, passengers to avoid Russian airspace as drone strikes escalate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned airlines, insurers, and passengers to avoid Russian airspace, according to Peoples Gazette, saying Ukrainian drones will make the skies unsafe for the war’s duration.

Zelensky urged foreign ambassadors in Kyiv and Moscow to relay the warning to their governments, stressing Ukraine wants to avoid civilian casualties. His comments followed escalating Russian strikes that killed dozens of Ukrainians on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the warning as a “declaration of state terrorism,” insisting Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation while vowing Russia would intensify its own attacks.