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On 2 September, Ukraine formally alerted the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace poses a significant safety risk due to heightened military activity. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced the letter, which urges ICAO to encourage member states to cease civil flights over Russia. ICAO, the UN aviation agency, cannot close Russian airspace or mandate airlines to reroute.

Despite European and US airlines already avoiding Russia's airspace, carriers from China, Türkiye, and the Gulf states continue to operate through it and must evaluate the safety of flying amid ongoing drone and air defense operations. Drone alerts during reported Ukrainian attacks have repeatedly grounded Russian airports and delayed hundreds of flights.

This warning follows a 1 September statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cautioned airlines, insurers, and other aviation stakeholders about escalating Russian skies becoming unsafe as Ukrainian drones penetrated deeper into the country. Zelenskyy also pledged to relay risk information to international organizations via Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Zelenskyy's warning as an attempt at "state terrorism" and vowed Moscow would respond if civilian "tragedies" occurred. Sybiha implored airlines to steer clear of Russian airspace, arguing that the notice aimed to avert unintended incidents, citing Russia's failure to disclose the dangers created by its war.

He invoked Ukraine's inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, arguing that the war was "returning home to Russia." ICAO, in a separate statement, highlighted the increasing threats to global civil aviation, including long-range weapons, drones, navigation-signal interference, and advanced air-defense systems.

The UN aviation body reminded member states that international aviation law prohibits the use of weapons against these civilian aircraft and urged them to assess the security of their controlled airspace, swiftly share threat intelligence, and enhance military-civilian coordination. Russian airports have been intermittently closed following reported Ukrainian attacks, with Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport alone experiencing over 450 flight delays during 5–7 May 2026, and Vnukovo airport's limits remaining operational for nearly 18 hours.

Other incidents included the temporary closure of Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Vnukovo airports in early July 2025 and the 27 May 2025 attack in which Moscow claimed to have intercepted 99 drones.