Can Ukraine’s drones shut Russian airspace? What that means for airlines

What the report says

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russian airspace is becoming unsafe because of the growing number and range of Ukrainian drones operating deep inside Russia, according to Al Jazeera. He urged airlines, insurers and airports that still use Russian routes to take notice, while Russian President Vladimir Putin described the remarks as “state terrorism.” The article says the comments came amid a wider pattern of Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure and repeated temporary airspace restrictions around Russian cities and airports.

Al Jazeera reported that drones have increasingly disrupted Russian civil aviation by forcing airport closures, flight suspensions and delayed arrivals and departures, including near Moscow. Aviation risk analysts quoted by the outlet said the issue is less about damage than about the ability of drones to trigger uncertainty and shutdowns over long distances. The report noted Ukraine’s claimed deep-strike range has expanded substantially since 2022, allowing attacks farther into Russia, and said the disruption is likely to continue through 2026.

The piece also described broader consequences for airlines and passengers. Since Russia closed much of its airspace to Western carriers after the February 2022 invasion, many Europe–Asia routes have become longer and more expensive. Al Jazeera said some airlines from China, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states still use Russian overflight, giving them routing advantages. A wider closure would alter those advantages, while adding pressure to already crowded alternative flight paths across the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus.