Ukraine asks UN aviation agency to ban flights in Russian airspace

Formal request to UN aviation agency

Ukraine submitted an official petition to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on 2 September 2026, requesting the body to recommend a full prohibition on civil aircraft operations within Russian airspace. In a letter sent to ICAO Council President Juan Carlos Salazar, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk stated that member states must act to protect civil aviation and minimize the risk of aerial disasters. The diplomatic initiative followed a public address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who told international airlines and insurance providers that Russian airspace had become unsafe due to Ukrainian drone strikes responding to Russian attacks on Kyiv.

Drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation... the safe days in Russia's skies are over.

Commercial flight disruption at Moscow airports

Although European and American airlines have avoided Russian airspace since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, carriers from China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and other Middle Eastern nations maintain regular passenger routes to Russian hubs. On 2 September 2026, Flightradar24 recorded flight delays and cancellations across primary Moscow aviation hubs. Sheremetyevo International Airport registered 21 flight cancellations and 235 delays, while Vnukovo International Airport recorded 22 cancellations and 94 delays. Turkish operator Pegasus Airlines cancelled six arriving and six departing flights at Vnukovo, citing operational and technical factors, while Dubai-based carrier flydubai confirmed ongoing schedule reviews to ensure passenger safety.

Moscow response and air defense history

Russian officials dismissed the Ukrainian warnings and pledged to maintain normal civil aviation schedules. Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said the ministry is coordinating with the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Russian National Guard to reinforce safety standards across airports and flight corridors. Speaking at 3:00 a.m. during a news conference at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of state terrorism.

If this has been voiced, it amounts to nothing less than a call for state terrorism.

Concerns regarding regional air safety follow a 2024 crash in Kazakhstan involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that diverted from its route to Grozny, which resulted in 38 deaths. Russian officials later acknowledged that two Russian air defense missiles detonated near the airliner while attempting to intercept Ukrainian drones.

Global aviation warning and diplomatic tensions

The Montreal-based UN aviation agency issued a public advisory on 2 September 2026, calling for stronger international commitments to protect commercial planes from conflict zone threats. The organization noted growing operational hazards without naming specific countries.

ICAO is observing heightened risks of civil aircraft being targeted or caught in crossfire.

The escalation over airspace safety occurred while Kyiv endured seven consecutive days of continuous air raid alerts caused by Russian strikes on urban infrastructure. Concurrently, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure contributed to elevated global energy prices. Diplomatic channels remained active as CIA Director John Ratcliffe held meetings with intelligence counterparts in Moscow.