Ukraine has officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation due to intensified military activity, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha reported.
"We urge everyone to avoid it. Russia has been deliberately ignoring the existing threats as a result of its aggression against Ukraine, which has already led to several incidents in the past years. Against the backdrop of Russia’s drastic escalation of terror against Ukraine, Russian airspace is becoming increasingly unsafe," Sybiha wrote on X on Wednesday.
At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine is exercising its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and the war is "coming home to Russia."
"This is our responsible decision to notify ICAO and all airlines, and governments to take caution — even if Russia refuses to fulfill its responsibility to inform them. We want to prevent unintended incidents," Sybiha stressed.
As reported, in an evening video address on September 1, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is warning every airline using Russian airspace, as well as everyone using key Russian airports, that Russian skies are becoming completely unsafe, while Ukraine does not threaten civil aviation. The President noted that although the Russian authorities do not report this as required, "Russian skies will de facto close: the war unleashed by Russia is closing its skies."
Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov supported Zelenskyy on the same day, stating: "Russian skies are no longer safe. This is a new reality about which we are officially warning international airlines, insurers, and partners."
