First airline cancels flights to Moscow amid Ukrainian threat to 'close' Russia's skies
The suspension comes after Air Tanzania flight TC 422, traveling from Zanzibar to Moscow, was forced to divert to St. Petersburg on Sept. 3 instead of landing at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport due to the closure of airspace around the capital.
Air Tanzania has temporarily halted flights between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Moscow following safety concerns. The airline announced the decision on September 4, citing a routine risk assessment of the operating environment. The suspension is a precautionary measure, with safety always taking precedence over commercial interests.
The move follows Air Tanzania flight TC 422, which was diverted to St. Petersburg instead of Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport on September 3 due to airspace closures around the Russian capital.
The suspension marks the first time an airline has canceled flights to the Russian capital amidst escalating tensions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had threatened on September 1 that Russian airspace would effectively be closing, stating that Russia's airspace is becoming completely unsafe. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine would not target civilian aircraft but warned that the presence of Ukrainian drones posed a significant threat to civilian air travel, a claim Russian authorities have not acknowledged.
The frequency of Ukraine's drone campaign has intensified in recent months. Russia's Defense Ministry reported that the Russian military intercepted and destroyed 490 Ukrainian drones overnight on September 4, targeting various industrial and military sites, including the Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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