The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has officially responded to Ukraine's letter and conveyed to all member states a clear position regarding the risks associated with continued flights in Russian airspace, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced.
“We are grateful for receiving our call and conveying to all member states a clear position on the risks of continuing operations in the Russian sky,” Sybiha said on X Friday.
According to him, Ukraine, as a member state, reaffirms its commitment to the protection of civil aviation: “What is more, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, this is exactly what our Defense Forces have been doing by intercepting Russian drones and missiles. This deadly metal threatens lives of our people as well as airspace of neighboring countries, now reaching far beyond Ukraine’s borders and regularly disrupting air traffic of the NATO countries.”
Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is determined to maintain peace, both in the air and in all other spheres. At the same time, according to him, Russia is not inclined to do so.
“It deliberately terrorizes the airspace and civilians of Ukraine and other countries with regular missile barrages and drone incidents,” he said.
The Minister also emphasized that the protection of civil aviation and ensuring the security of airspace must remain a shared responsibility: “International airlines, insurers, and other aviation companies should take the threats seriously and act accordingly by ceasing operations in Russia.”
As previously reported, in early September, Ukraine officially notified ICAO that Russian airspace poses danger to civil aviation due to intensified military activity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously stated that Ukraine was warning every airline using Russian airspace—as well as anyone utilizing key Russian airports—that Russian skies were becoming extremely dangerous, while emphasizing that Ukraine itself poses no threat to civil aviation.
He stressed that the consequences of the Russian escalation would be felt in Russian airspace, "which is already—and will increasingly become—an operating zone for our drones and missiles, which are actively and rightfully striking back in response to Russia's war."
Subsequently, ICAO urged member states to strengthen measures protecting civil aircraft against risks arising in conflict zones, amid growing threats to civil aviation posed by modern military technologies.
