Kremlin shows panic over Ukraine’s plan to close Russian airspace – Kovalenko

On September 2, Ukraine's chief disinformation watchdog Andriy Kovalenko revealed that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is increasingly concerned by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plan to close Russian airspace. Kovalenko stated that Putin's characterization of Zelenskyy's announcement as "state terrorism" highlights the Kremlin's fear of the new campaign.

He added that "distorting reality" is a common tactic used by Russian propaganda, given that Russia initiated the war against Ukraine. Kovalenko remarked that "the Russian Federation fears exactly what our measures are – and that is a good thing." During his September 1 evening address, Zelenskyy warned that Russian airspace is becoming entirely unsafe for civil aviation, declaring that Ukrainian drone operations would "close the skies" over Russia.

He urged airlines, insurers, and users of Russia's key airports to take note of the increased danger. Putin, speaking at a televised press conference following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, called Zelenskyy's warnings a "declaration of state terrorism" and vowed to retaliate, revealing that Russian forces have been ordered to prepare massive strikes against Ukraine's power grid.