Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines and insurance companies on Tuesday that the presence of Ukrainian drones had made Russian airspace dangerous to use and effectively closed it.

“Today, we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, everyone who still uses key Russian airports: the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous”, Zelensky said in his evening video address.

Ukraine poses no threat to civil aviation, he said, “but there will be drones in Russia’s skies and due notice must be taken”.

“Although Russian authorities are not properly announcing it, Russian airspace will effectively be closing. The war started by Russia is closing its own skies”, Zelensky added.

Russia has intensified its air attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. Moscow’s latest attack killed 12 people and injured many more, marking the sixth consecutive day of intense strikes on the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine has responded with frequent drone strikes on targets inside Russia, many linked to the country’s oil industry as well as retail sites.

(Reuters, im)