Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged international airlines to stop flying over Russia, warning that Russian airspace is becoming completely dangerous due to drone operations.
Zelensky said foreign ambassadors working in Kyiv and Moscow must hear the warnings regarding safety in Russian skies. He added that airspace over Russia will de facto be closed to commercial traffic. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state institutions will provide comprehensive risk information to international organizations.
Zelensky, a former actor and comedian who was elected president of Ukraine in 2019, has led the nation throughout the conflict with Russia. Kyiv serves as the capital and diplomatic center of Ukraine, while Moscow functions as the seat of the Russian government.
Despite the warnings, Zelensky stated that Kyiv would take into account scheduled new meetings in Moscow and temporarily suspend strikes along specific directions and within agreed timeframes at the request of international partners to support diplomacy. He noted that when American officials requested a pause on strikes targeting Moscow and Saint Petersburg on August 25, 26, and 27, Ukrainian forces observed the halt. He added that Ukraine would similarly honor a request from another foreign state to suspend strikes toward Vladivostok during upcoming diplomatic talks in Moscow.
Moscow and Saint Petersburg represent Russia's primary financial and urban hubs, while Vladivostok is a major Russian port city located on the Pacific Ocean in the Far East. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have increasingly utilized uncrewed aerial systems to conduct long-range operations across Russian territory.
Putin Rejects Warnings as State Terrorism
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to Zelensky's statements by invoking his well-known stance that Russia does not negotiate with terrorists. Putin stated that while he had not directly heard Zelensky's comments, such public statements represent an explicit bid for state terrorism.
Putin emphasized that while Ukrainian officials frequently request a resumption of negotiations and personal meetings, Moscow refuses to negotiate with terrorists. The Russian leader warned that Moscow would find an appropriate response if Kyiv attempts to execute threats aimed at closing Russian airspace, adding that no one should doubt Russia's resolve if such tragedies occur.
Putin has served as either president or prime minister of Russia since 1999, maintaining a firm security doctrine that rejects political concessions under threat. Moscow maintains sovereignty over vast national airspace spanning eleven time zones from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean.
Alleged Plan to Target Moscow Airports
The warnings follow details published by American news magazine The Atlantic, which disclosed that Kyiv had planned an operation to paralyze Moscow airports using swarms of artificial intelligence-powered autonomous drones. Codenamed M&Ms, the proposed plan involved launching up to 1,000 low-cost drones per night.
According to the publication, the autonomous drones were designed to navigate independently using pre-loaded maps and target imagery. The objective was to force a long-term shutdown of Moscow's civilian airspace and increase pressure on Russian political and economic elites. Although Zelensky expressed concern over potential risks to civilian aircraft, he initially allowed preparations for the operation to proceed. Sources cited by the magazine indicated that the project was halted in July following the dismissal of its reported initiator, former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov.
Mikhail Fedorov previously served as Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation before taking over the defense portfolio, gaining international attention for integrating commercial technology, artificial intelligence, and low-cost drones into defense strategy. The Atlantic is an American magazine based in Washington, D.C., known for its coverage of national security, foreign policy, and international affairs.
Looking ahead, international diplomatic efforts remain ongoing with new meetings scheduled to take place in Moscow. Ukrainian institutions are preparing to present full risk reports to international aviation bodies, while officials monitor whether agreed strike suspensions will hold during upcoming negotiations.
