Russian Airspace Tense After Zelensky’s Big Warning, Foreign Airline Suspends Flights

Moscow: Tensions over the safety of Russian airspace have escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned international airlines about the growing risk posed by drones, prompting at least one foreign carrier to temporarily suspend flights to Russia.

Air Tanzania announced on Friday that it was temporarily suspending its flights between Dar es Salaam and Moscow, citing a safety assessment of operating conditions. The move came days after Zelenskyy warned airlines, insurers and foreign governments that Russian airspace could effectively become unsafe for civilian aviation.

The development has added a new dimension to the Russia-Ukraine war, where repeated Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russian territory have increasingly disrupted airports and civilian air traffic.

Zelenskyy warns airlines over Russian skies

On September 1, Zelenskyy issued a stark warning to airlines operating through Russian airspace.

He said Ukraine's expanding drone campaign would make the skies over Russia increasingly difficult for civilian aviation and warned that the “Russian sky will be de facto closed.”

Zelenskyy later said that the first airlines had begun refusing flights to Russian airports following Ukraine's warning about the drone threat.

He argued that the move was a logical response to the risks created by the ongoing war and said Ukraine had informed international organisations and partners about the situation.

Ukraine has also formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) about its concerns regarding the safety of Russian airspace.

Air Tanzania briefly halts Moscow flights

Air Tanzania became a major focus of the aviation controversy after announcing a temporary suspension of its Moscow service on September 4.

The airline cited a routine risk assessment of the route's operating conditions, without publicly providing detailed information about what specifically triggered the decision.

However, the suspension was short-lived.

Later the same day, Air Tanzania said it would resume the Dar es Salaam-Moscow service from September 7, meaning the initial halt lasted only a few days.

The episode nevertheless underscored the growing uncertainty faced by airlines operating into Russian airports amid frequent drone-related flight restrictions.

Moscow airports have faced repeated disruptions

Russian airports have repeatedly imposed temporary restrictions following drone attacks.

Moscow's major airports, including Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo, have experienced cancellations and delays as Russian authorities temporarily restrict aircraft movements when drones are detected.

Reuters reported that on September 2, Sheremetyevo recorded 21 cancelled flights and 235 delays, while Vnukovo had 22 cancellations and 94 delays, according to Flightradar24 data.

Temporary restrictions have also affected airports in other Russian cities.

The disruptions are not necessarily caused by direct attacks on airports. Instead, flight operations can be halted as a precaution when drones are detected nearby, creating uncertainty for passengers and airlines.

Russia rejects Ukraine's warnings

Moscow has strongly rejected Kyiv's assessment of the safety situation.

Russian officials have said they are working to maintain the safety of civil aviation and prevent major disruption to domestic and international flights.

Russia's transport authorities have also dismissed Ukraine's aviation warnings as having no legal force. The country's aviation regulator has maintained that Russian aviation infrastructure continues to function normally.

Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said authorities were working with the defence and national security agencies to maintain flight safety and airport security.

Putin accuses Ukraine of ‘state terrorism’

The dispute has also triggered a sharp political response from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin described Zelenskyy's warnings as amounting to “state terrorism” and said Russia would respond if such threats resulted in tragedies.

The Kremlin's position contrasts sharply with Ukraine's argument that repeated drone activity makes continued commercial aviation over Russian territory increasingly risky.

Foreign airlines reassess Russia operations

The issue is particularly significant for foreign airlines that continue to operate routes to Russia.

Many Western airlines already avoid Russian airspace following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, carriers from countries including China, Turkey and several Gulf states have continued operating routes through or into Russian territory.

The latest warnings could therefore create additional pressure on carriers that continue using Russian airspace.

Aviation risk specialists have warned that drone activity deep inside Russia is likely to remain a recurring threat. An aviation advisory firm cited by Reuters assessed that attacks near major Russian cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg, could continue through 2026.

Ukraine's strategy goes beyond military targets

Ukraine's warnings appear connected to a broader strategy aimed at disrupting Russia's aviation network without necessarily attacking civilian aircraft directly.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Ukraine has previously used drone activity near Russian airports to force authorities to temporarily restrict air traffic under what has been described as “Operation Carpet.” The objective is to create enough of a security threat around airports to disrupt aviation operations.

Ukraine says it does not intend to target civilian aircraft. Instead, it argues that Russia's use of airspace amid the ongoing war creates risks that airlines must take into account.

Aviation uncertainty likely to continue

For passengers, the immediate impact is likely to come in the form of flight delays, cancellations and temporary airport closures, rather than a blanket shutdown of Russian airspace.

The brief Air Tanzania suspension shows that individual airlines are increasingly assessing the risks for themselves. But its decision to resume flights on September 7 also demonstrates that airlines may make rapid changes depending on their latest operational and security assessments.

With Ukrainian drone strikes continuing and Russia maintaining its air-defence operations, the possibility of further disruptions remains.

For now, Russian airspace remains operational, but the latest developments have highlighted how the war is increasingly spilling into civilian aviation — putting airlines, passengers and airports under renewed pressure.