Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv has officially informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russia's airspace is not safe, citing heightened military activity. He accused Russia of deliberately ignoring threats that stem from its aggression against Ukraine and have led to incidents in previous years.
The warning follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement that Russian skies are becoming "completely unsafe" due to Ukrainian drones. He stressed that Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such, and that a "closed sky" regime would primarily affect Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other key destinations.
In response, Turkish carrier Pegasus turned back aircraft bound for Moscow and canceled several flights, including six arrivals at Vnukovo airport. A company representative told passengers on one flight that "the Turkish side is banning departures." Turkish Airlines also canceled several flights, offering passengers rebooking or refunds.
According to The Moscow Times, nearly 80 flights were delayed or canceled overnight on September 2 at Moscow's three largest airports—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo. The Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Moskva reported schedule changes affecting 77 flights: 40 at Sheremetyevo, 20 at Domodedovo, and 17 at Vnukovo. At Domodedovo, a flight from Antalya was postponed to the next day, with a delay of over nine hours.
Airport restrictions were imposed due to a drone attack. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense forces shot down 12 Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital. Russia's Defense Ministry reported destroying 130 Ukrainian drones overnight over 11 regions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Zelensky's statement "a bid for state terrorism," saying Russia would find a response. Russia's Transport Ministry said aviation services would not allow significant disruptions to civilian air travel.