Russia Says It Won’t Let Ukraine Disrupt Air Travel After Zelensky Warning

By Reuters Sep. 2, 2026 Russian transportation authorities on Wednesday vowed to prevent any disruptions to domestic air travel after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned the day before that Kyiv's drone attacks were making Russian airspace too dangerous for flying. Transportation Minister Andrei Nikitin said that civil aviation authorities are "constantly improving flight safety and airport security requirements, and we have solutions for all of this," as quoted by the news agency Interfax. "We are working in close contact with the Defense Ministry and the Russian National Guard. And I believe that we will not allow any significant disruption to civil aviation," Nikitin added. Following Zelensky's warning, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv had officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization that Russian airspace is unsafe for commercial flights. Those comments appeared to have an almost immediate impact on air travel inside Russia. On Wednesday, Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport showed 21 canceled flights and 235 delays, while Vnukovo airport saw 22 canceled flights and 94 delays, according to the flight tracking service Flightradar24. Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines said it had canceled some flights to Russia for "technical and operational" reasons but did not provide further information. Vnukovo airport said Pegasus Airlines had canceled six arriving and six departing flights at the hub on Tuesday. The carrier said overnight flights into Wednesday would be impacted, but other ongoing flights were "operating as scheduled." Aviation risk advisory firm Osprey Flight Solutions said in an alert to clients that while the majority of Ukraine's drone and missile strikes were likely to occur within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the border, daily attacks deeper inside Russia were near-certain through 2026, including near Moscow and St Petersburg. "There is also a realistic possibility that the frequency of Ukrainian strikes will continue to increase in the short term deep inside Russian territory," the alert said. "It is assessed that miscalculation and/or misidentification is likely in areas related to the Ukraine conflict." Read more about: Drones , Airlines Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Airports in Southern Russia Paralyzed After Ukrainian Drone Hits Air Traffic Control Center The early morning drone attacks come hours after a ceasefire that Russia unilaterally announced for May 8-10 came into effect. 2 Min read Weekend Drone Attacks Disrupt Over 1K Flights at Moscow Airports This marks the fourth wave of disruptions to Moscow’s air traffic since the beginning of May, the start of the tourist high season. 2 Min read Russian Airlines Bear Costs of Flights Rerouted By Drone Strikes – RBC An extra hour of flight time costs about $8,000 for a typical Boeing 737-800 in the low-budget airline Pobeda’s fleet, according to analysts. 1 Min read Flurry of Drone Attacks on Moscow Disrupts Russians' Summer Travel The drone incidents, which authorities blame on Kyiv, are the latest impact of Moscow’s 18-month war on Ukraine on ordinary Russians. 2 Min read