Ukraine has warned commercial airlines to cease using Russian airspace, citing increased drone attacks in retaliation for Moscow's strikes on Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that "the safe days in Russia's skies are over," stating drones would now operate on a scale requiring airlines to account for the danger. He warned that civilian aviation has no place among drones, though Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such.

This advisory follows a sharp escalation, with Russian long-range drones flying towards the capital in near-continuous waves since August 27, hitting energy infrastructure and residential buildings. At least 49 people have been killed in Kyiv and the surrounding region. The raids continued into Wednesday, with jet-powered drones and explosions reported by a Financial Times correspondent.

A broader summer escalation has seen both sides using long-range drones to target Black Sea ships and commercial warehouses, including those owned by the Russian online retail group Wildberries. This has contributed to a blockade of Ukrainian ports, threatening grain exports. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine would face three crises—currency, budget, and banking—due to retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian exports and agricultural products.

Ukrainian officials describe strikes on Wildberries and Ozon as part of a strategy to compel Moscow to negotiate by strangling the Russian economy and raising internal discontent.