Ukraine Plans to Escalate Drone Operations Near Russian Airports to Force Airspace Shutdown
Why It MattersEscalating drone pressure on Russian airport operations raises operational risk and insurance uncertainty for airlines still flying in or near Russian airspace.
Ukraine's military is planning to intensify drone operations near Russian airports in an effort to force their closure and pressure Moscow to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines and their insurers on Tuesday that Russian airspace "is becoming completely unsafe."
The Ukrainian military said it intends to deploy enough drones near Russian airports that the temporary closures already occurring with increasing frequency turn into a complete shutdown. Ukrainian officials said they intend to avoid targeting airliners or causing civilian deaths.
The strategy centers on scaling up what Ukraine calls "Operation Carpet," in which drones circulate near Russian airports, forcing air-traffic controllers to pause takeoffs and landings. Ukrainian drones began causing such temporary closures in the summer of 2023, with the frequency growing steadily since then and surging in recent months.
