--- title: "Ukraine officially warned ICAO: Russian airspace has become unsafe for civil aviation" description: "Ukraine officially notified ICAO of the danger of Russian airspace for civil aviation against the backdrop of escalation. Kyiv called on airlines and insurers to take the risks into account." date: 2026-09-02T13:14:03.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-warns-icao-russian-airspace-unsafe-civil-aviation tags: [ukraine, russia, icao, airspace, civil-aviation, diplomacy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine officially warned ICAO: Russian airspace has become unsafe for civil aviation ![Official portrait of a Ukrainian representative warning ICAO that Russian airspace has become unsafe for civil aviation](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/02/ukraina-predupredila-ikao-ob-opasnosti-rossiyskogo-neba/ukraina-predupredila-ikao-ob-opasnosti-rossiyskogo-neba-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine sent ICAO an official warning about the unsafety of Russian airspace for civil aviation. - Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha linked this to the intensified military activity of the Russian Federation and the right to self-defense (Art. 51 of the UN Charter). - On September 1, Zelensky and Budanov had already addressed airlines and insurers, warning of the danger of the Russian sky. - Vladimir Putin called Kyiv's statement a "claim to state terrorism." - Legally, this is a caution notice, not a direct "closure" of another country's airspace. Ukraine has sent an official warning to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stating that Russian airspace has become unsafe for civil aviation. This was announced by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on the social network X, according to RBC-Ukraine. In his words, the sky over the Russian Federation is dangerous due to intensified military activity, and Kyiv is taking steps to prevent possible incidents involving civilian aircraft. ### Official warning to ICAO Sybiha emphasized that Russia "deliberately ignores existing threats as a result of its aggression against Ukraine," which has already led to a number of incidents in recent years. "Against the backdrop of a sharp escalation of terror by Russia against Ukraine, Russian airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous," the minister stated. He explained that Ukraine is sending caution notices "even if Russia refuses to fulfill its obligation to provide such information," since the goal is to "prevent unintended incidents." In his words, the war is "coming home, to Russia," and Kyiv is acting within the framework of the inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. ### Context: Zelensky's address and the position of the Office of the President As RBC-Ukraine previously reported, on September 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed all airlines using Russian airspace, as well as insurers working with key Russian airports. He stated that "Russian airspace is becoming completely dangerous" and open to Ukrainian drones. Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov, for his part, noted that Ukraine will "respond proportionally and firmly to Russia's aerial terror" and that the Russian sky "will cease to be safe." ### Moscow's reaction In the Kremlin, Kyiv's reaction was criticized. Vladimir Putin called Zelensky's statement about the "closure" of the sky over Russia a "claim to state terrorism." Thus, the positions of the two sides on the same step diverge: for Ukraine it is a measure of security and self-defense, for Moscow β€” a provocation. ### Contradictory data In the publications and statements of the parties there is an inconsistency in terminology and in the assessment of the step itself. On the one hand, the word "closure" of airspace over the Russian Federation is used in headlines and in Kyiv's rhetoric, however, legally Ukraine has no right to close another country's airspace β€” in fact, an official warning (a caution notice) has been sent to ICAO and partners. On the other hand, the positions of the parties diverge in meaning: the Ukrainian side characterizes the step as preventing incidents and exercising the right of self-defense, while the Russian side (Putin's statement) interprets it as a "claim to state terrorism." Both versions are set out above; there is no independent verification of the very mechanism of "closure" in the provided sources. ### What this means for carriers and insurers According to an informed RBC-Ukraine source in the authorities, the statement was made precisely so that civilian aircraft would not be in Russian airspace: "While various companies are flying there, we will see how it develops further." Ukraine, he said, is warning all partners and stating that "there is no safe sky in Russia." For airlines and insurance companies, this means an elevated level of risk when planning routes through or to Russian airports. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Russian sky is dangerous. Ukraine officially warned ICAO about attacks on the Russian Federation](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyske-nebo-nebezpechne-ukrayina-ofitsiyno-1788354447.html) - ΠŸΠ΅Ρ€Π²ΠΈΡ‡Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ источник: заявлСниС министра иностранных Π΄Π΅Π» АндрСя Π‘ΠΈΠ±ΠΈΠ³ΠΈ Π² X, Ρ†ΠΈΡ‚Π°Ρ‚Ρ‹, контСкст обращСния ЗСлСнского (1 сСнтября) ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΠ·ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΠΈ Π‘ΡƒΠ΄Π°Π½ΠΎΠ²Π°, рСакция ΠŸΡƒΡ‚ΠΈΠ½Π°. - [Ukraine officially warned airlines of the danger of flights over the Russian Federation](https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/09/02/ukraina-oficialno-predupredila-aviakompanii-ob-opasnosti-polyotov-nad-rf) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ„Π°ΠΊΡ‚ ΠΎΡ„ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ прСдупрСТдСния Π°Π²ΠΈΠ°ΠΊΠΎΠΌΠΏΠ°Π½ΠΈΠΉ ΠΎΠ± опасности ΠΏΠΎΠ»Ρ‘Ρ‚ΠΎΠ² Π½Π°Π΄ Π Π€. - [Ukraine officially warned civil aviation organizations of the danger in the Russian sky](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/politics/_ukraina-oficialno-predupredila-organizacii-grazhdanskoj-aviacii-ob-opasnosti-v-vozdushnom-prostranstve-rossii/1257859) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π½Π°ΠΏΡ€Π°Π²Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ прСдупрСТдСния организациям граТданской Π°Π²ΠΈΠ°Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ (Π² Ρ‚.Ρ‡. ИКАО). - ["Closure" of the sky over the Russian Federation - Ukraine officially informed ICAO](https://unn.ua/ru/news/zakritie-neba-nad-rf-ukraina-ofitsialno-proinformirovala-ikao) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ ΠΎΡ„ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΈΠ½Ρ„ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ИКАО; Π² Π·Π°Π³ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠ΅ слово Β«Π·Π°ΠΊΡ€Ρ‹Ρ‚ΠΈΠ΅Β» взято Π² ΠΊΠ°Π²Ρ‹Ρ‡ΠΊΠΈ, Ρ‡Ρ‚ΠΎ согласуСтся с Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠΎΠΌ ΠΎ нСстыковкС Ρ‚Π΅Ρ€ΠΌΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΠΈ. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What exactly did Ukraine do regarding Russian airspace? **A:** Ukraine sent ICAO an official warning about the unsafety of the Russian sky for civil aviation. Legally, this is a caution notice, not a direct "closure" of another country's airspace. ### Q: Who made the statement? **A:** The statement on the social network X was made by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. Earlier, on September 1, addresses to airlines and insurers were delivered by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov. ### Q: How did Russia react? **A:** Vladimir Putin called Zelensky's statement about the "closure" of the sky over Russia a "claim to state terrorism."