Ukraine formally tells ICAO Russian airspace is unsafe for civilian flights

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on September 2 that Ukraine has formally informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is unsafe for civilian aviation. He urged airlines to avoid flying over the country, citing the "sharp escalation of Russian terror against Ukraine" and the "deliberate disregard of existing threats."

In a letter to ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar, Sybiha called for a complete ban on civilian flights over Russian territory, as Ukraine has already closed its airspace at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk also wrote to Salazar, highlighting incidents like electronic warfare and GPS signal spoofing that have affected flights from airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Finnair.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed these concerns on September 1, stating that Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous and that Ukraine will provide international organizations with comprehensive information about the risks.