Airlines still using Russian airspace have been warned by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russian airspace is increasingly unsafe for civilian aviation. The Ukrainian president stated that Russian airspace was effectively closed due to the increased presence of attack drones in the airspace. Airlines continuing to use Russian airspace are facing mounting pressure to reconsider their schedules routes as the situation becomes more dangerous for commercial flights.
Ukraine’s President Issues Serious Warning to Airlines
In an online address posted on Sept. 1 via social media platform Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian airspace was effectively closed due to the mounting danger for civilian flights:
“Today we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, everyone who still uses key Russian airports: the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous. Ukraine does not threaten civil aviation as such – not a single civilian aircraft. It’s just that drones in the sky of Russia will be such that you have to take this into account.”
He added that though Russian authorities would report differently, the Russian sky would “de facto close” and that “civil aviation has no place among drones.”
Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign secretary, confirmed that Kyiv had notified the International Civil Aviation Organisation of the dangers to commercial airlines continuing to use Russian airspace, citing increased military activity as reason for the airspace to be “closed”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Zelensky’s comments amounted to a “declaration of state terrorism”. When speaking to reporters at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, Putin again accused Ukraine of terrorism, stating:
“They are asking us to resume negotiations… but you don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
The primary reason for the new level of threat airlines are being faced with in flying to Russian airports or through Russian airspace is the rapid escalation of Ukraine’s military capabilities over recent months. Ukrainian forces have been able to strike targets around Moscow and St Petersburg with increased frequently, thus making Russian airports increasingly unsafe as they become likely targets of Ukrainian drone attacks.
For the same reason, Ukraine’s commercial airspace has been closed since February 2022, when Russia’s full-scale invasion began and military attacks were launched. Due to the country’s military ability, Russia has been able to strike targets throughout Ukraine and forced the closure of its airports for the safety of travellers.
Airlines Set to Be Majorly Disrupted by Closure to Russian Airspace
As the risks of flying through Russian airspace become clearer, airlines have been steadily withdrawing flights from the eastern European region since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Airlines including Emirates, Air China, Turkish Airlines, Flydubai, Qatar and Etihad Airway have maintained flight routes connecting Russia to parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The response of these airlines to the situation and Zelensky’s warning has varied.
In a statement to the BBC, Qatar Airways said its flight planning and route development was “guided by rigorous and continuous monitoring of airspace security, safety assessments, and geopolitical developments”. The flag carrier of Qatar currently has flights operating out of Moscow Airport and utilises Russian airspace for its flights to destinations on the east coast of the United States of America.
FlyDubai also told the BBC it would be closely monitoring the “evolving situation in the region” and adjusting its flight schedule and routings if necessary.
On the other hand, Pegasus Airlines said it had cancelled flights overnight (Sept. 1 – Sept. 2) but cited “technical and operational difficulties” as the reason. Several flights were cancelled out of Moscow, and many passengers were left stranded due to the short-notice cancellations. Aside from this period of cancellations, the airline did not state it would be discontinuing its flight routes though or into Russia.
Turkey is the only NATO country to continue operating direct flights to Russia.
Justin Bronk, an aviation analyst at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank, suggested that this would be just the beginning of trouble for travellers attempting to reach Russia and airlines wishing to continue using Russian airspace.
Bronk said he believed Ukrainian forces could orchestrate “periodic closures of Russian airports on a semi-regular basis” by operating small waves of drones at short notice, relying on unpredictability, to disrupt Russian air travel.
Delays seem set to continue for passengers attempting to fly in or out of Russia. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport reported over 20 cancelled flights and over 200 delays. Vnukovo Airport was similarly affected, suffering 22 cancelled flights and over 90 delays.
The safety of civilian aviation continuing to operate in warzones has been a long-standing concern. A Malaysian Airlines plane that was flying over eastern Ukraine was short down by Russian-backed separatists in July 2014. All 298 onboard were killed. Last year, the UN ruled Russia was responsible for the incident.
What do you think of the latest update of warnings for commercial airlines as the situation escalates between Ukraine and Russia? Let us know in the comments below.
