Russia rejects Ukraine's warning over Russian airspace safety

This photo taken on July 11, 2026 shows a view of the Kremlin and the Moskva River in Moscow, Russia. (Photo: Xinhua)

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the notice issued by Ukraine claiming that Russian airspace was not safe for civilian aviation distorts facts, misleads users of Russian airspace and carries no legal force.

In a statement on its official website, the ministry said Russia had lodged a resolute protest against Ukraine's reckless terrorist acts that run counter to international law.

The ministry stated that the Ukrainian side's remarks pose a direct threat to civil aviation. Relevant Russian authorities are in contact with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and have sent an urgent appeal to the ICAO secretary-general.

Russia remains unwavering in safeguarding civil aviation safety, the ministry added.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned international airlines that Russian airspace is becoming "completely unsafe" as Ukraine responds to an "escalation" in missile and drone attacks.