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Ukraine has called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to completely prohibit civilian aircraft from flying over Russian territory, arguing that the growing intensity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has created heightened risks for commercial aviation.

According to Ukraine’s Zerkalo Nedeli, cited by APA, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk made the appeal in a letter to ICAO, warning that the continued presence of civilian aircraft in Russian airspace could expose passengers and crews to significant dangers amid the escalation of aerial attacks.

“Ukraine, exercising its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, is compelled to respond appropriately to Russia’s terrorist air attacks,” Kalashnyk said in the letter.

“Against the backdrop of the escalation provoked by the Russian Federation, we understand that the presence of civilian aircraft in the airspace of the Russian Federation may entail particularly high risks. This is an impartial warning regarding the aforementioned threat,” he added.

The Ukrainian appeal comes shortly after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a similar warning to international airlines and aviation insurers, saying that the increasing scale of Ukrainian drone operations inside Russia could make the country’s airspace effectively unusable for civilian aviation.

In a September 1 address, Zelenskyy said Russian airspace was “becoming completely unsafe” and urged airlines, insurers and operators using major Russian airports to take the risks into account.

“Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such – not a single civilian aircraft. There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account,” Zelenskyy said. He added that Russian airspace would “effectively be closing” as a consequence of the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy’s warning was directed particularly at airlines that continue to use Russian airspace, including carriers operating through Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major Russian destinations. While many Western airlines have avoided Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, carriers from several Asian and Middle Eastern countries continue to use routes through Russia, partly because they can offer shorter and more fuel-efficient connections.

The aviation risks have become more prominent as Ukraine has expanded its long-range drone operations against targets inside Russia. Russian airports, including those serving Moscow, have experienced temporary disruptions during periods of intensified Ukrainian drone activity, while Russian air defenses have also been operating against incoming threats.

Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian civilian aviation, meanwhile, has continued operating, although parts of the country’s airspace have been restricted and airports have periodically faced disruptions linked to the war.