Zelensky Claims Ukrainian Drones Have ‘Effectively Closed’ Russian Airspace

By Reuters Sep. 2, 2026 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. president.gov.ua Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines and insurance companies on Tuesday that the presence of Ukrainian drones had made Russian skies dangerous to use and that they were effectively closed. "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," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. Ukraine poses no threat to civil aviation, he said, "but there will be drones in Russia's skies and due notice must be taken." "Although Russian authorities are not properly announcing it, Russian airspace will effectively be closing. The war started by Russia is closing its own skies," Zelensky added. The full risk of Ukrainian drones to aviation over Russia is not clear, but there have been deadly incidents of civilian aircraft being mistakenly targeted in the region. 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: Zelensky , Ukraine war , Drones 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 Ukrainian Attacks on Western Russia Kill 2 Authorities in the Belgorod and Bryansk border regions reported one death each during overnight air attacks. 1 Min read News Analysis Zelensky Says Kyiv Seized a Russian Position With Drones and Robots. Is This a Game Changer? Experts said Zelensky’s statement highlights how unmanned systems “are already transforming both tactics and strategy” in the war. 3 Min read Russian Military Reports Largest Wave of Ukrainian Drone Attacks Since Early January Most of the unmanned aircraft were downed over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. 2 Min read Germany Shutters Russian Consulate, Berlin Culture Center After Blaming Moscow for Airport Drone Attack Russia’s Foreign Ministry vowed that it would respond to what it called the German government’s “anti-Russian action.” 2 Min read