{
  "id": 5138052,
  "title": "“The war Russia started is closing its own sky”: Zelensky warns airlines and insurers against flying to Russia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/the-war-russia-started-is-closing-its-own-sky-zelensky-warns-airlines",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T17:57:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Insider",
    "slug": "the-insider",
    "url": "https://theins.press/en/news/296714"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a recent address on September 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning about the safety of Russian airspace due to the threat posed by Ukrainian drones. Addressing airlines, insurance companies, and diplomats, Zelensky stated, \"Russian skies are becoming completely unsafe.\" He emphasized that although Ukraine is not targeting civilian aircraft, the presence of drones in Russian skies is making travel unsafe. Zelensky explained that Ukraine does not wish to cause civilian deaths, hence the advance warnings regarding unsafe \"windows\" in Russian airspace. He urged ambassadors in Ukraine and Moscow to disseminate this message and warned carriers operating to key Russian destinations like Moscow and St. Petersburg to proceed with caution. The Ukrainian government stands ready to provide international bodies with comprehensive data on the threats while emphasizing that civil aviation cannot safely navigate the current conditions. In August, The Atlantic reported that Ukraine had considered an operation, dubbed M&Ms, which envisioned deploying up to 1,000 AI-guided drones to disrupt Russian air defenses for a night and shut down the skies over Moscow, aiming to pressure the Kremlin for peace talks. However, the plan was abandoned in July after the dismissal of its architect, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Despite this, Ukrainian drone attacks persist, regularly grounding airports across the country. Aviation authorities recorded 114 suspensions from June 28 to July 28, with 17 of those happening at Moscow's four airports alone. The Association of Tour Operators documented over 290 incidents in the first quarter of 2026. Russian authorities have claimed to have shot down 791 Ukrainian drones in a single night, though Moscow's mayor estimates over 600 were headed towards the capital. Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine had no involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage, acknowledging that two Ukrainians remain in German custody.",
  "summary": "In an evening address on Sept. 1, Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines, insurance companies, and diplomats that Russian airspace is no longer safe due to the threat of Ukrainian drones. Zelensky stated: “Today we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, and everyone who is still using key Russian airports: Russian skies are becoming completely unsafe. Ukraine is not…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Ukraine is bracing for Russia’s hardest winter blitz yet",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ukraine-is-bracing-for-russias-hardest-winter-blitz-yet",
        "published": "2026-09-02T16:02:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "Putin dismisses mobilization reports as Ukraine warns Russia could call up 600,000 to war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/putin-dismisses-mobilization-reports-as-ukraine-warns-russia-could",
        "published": "2026-09-02T16:06:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}