Kyiv asks UN aviation body to push for complete flight ban over Russia

Ukraine has formally requested that the International Civil Aviation Organization encourage member states to prohibit all civilian flights through Russian airspace, citing growing safety risks. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the airspace is becoming increasingly dangerous, while Kyiv plans to intensify retaliatory strikes against Russian military targets only. The appeal follows a week of continuous air raid alerts in Kyiv and damage to civilian infrastructure from Russian attacks.

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The formal request targets a gap in current aviation practice—while Western carriers have avoided Russian airspace since the 2022 invasion, airlines from China, Turkey, the UAE, and other Gulf states continue operating routes through it. Ukraine's infrastructure minister raised the matter directly with ICAO's leadership, arguing that the proliferation of drones over Russian territory elevates the risk of civilian aircraft being caught in conflict zones.

ICAO, which operates by consensus among its 193 member states, issued