WSJ: Ukraine Plans To Paralyze Air Travel In Russia
- 4.09.2026, 10:22
Drones are already causing dozens of airports to close every day.
Ukraine plans to increase the presence of its drones near Russian airports in an effort to force them to close, as part of a campaign to undermine the Russian economy and put pressure on Moscow to end the war. The The Wall Street Journal explains how this might be possible and whether it will work with the Kremlin.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned airlines that Russian airspace “is becoming completely unsafe.” According to the Ukrainian military, his comments reflect a plan to deploy so many drones near Russian airports that temporary closures will turn into a complete halt to flights.
“This is no longer just a repetition of isolated, sporadic emergency alerts; this is a shift toward constant pressure aimed at paralyzing civilian air traffic in the European part of the Russian Federation,” said Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with the WSJ.
Ukraine has promised to avoid attacks on passenger planes and civilian casualties. Instead, the plan is to expand the so-called “Carpet” operation, in which drones fly near Russian airports, forcing air traffic controllers to suspend takeoffs and landings.
Although Western countries suspended direct air service with Russia after the invasion, airlines from many countries in the Middle East and Asia continue to fly to the country. The absence of competitors from the U.S. and Europe has turned out to be an advantage for them, offsetting the risk of attacks by Ukrainian drones.
Now Ukraine wants to push that risk to the limit
In August, the number of Ukrainian drones that crossed into Russian airspace—which the country has left open to civilian aircraft—reached a new peak of about 16,000, according to data from Osprey Flight Solutions, a company specializing in aviation security:
“According to aviation security experts, the huge number of drones and the frantic activity of Russian air defense systems attempting to shoot them down pose growing risks to civilian aircraft. The widespread use by air defense systems of GPS spoofing (transmitting false GPS signals to divert drones off course) can disorient civilian air traffic.”
According to the WSJ, in August, an average of 32 airports in Russia—including those in the Moscow and St. Petersburg areas—were temporarily closed each day due to the proximity of drones.
The strategy is paying off
Kyiv’s plan to forcibly close new airports is part of the country’s response to the escalation of Russian airstrikes, a high-ranking Ukrainian official said.
At the same time, airlines are already beginning to fear the growing risk. In late June, Israel’s national carrier, El Al, suspended flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow, citing attacks by Ukrainian drones. In April, Air India rerouted its last flight that had previously passed through Russia, adding a refueling stop in Seoul instead on flights from San Francisco to Delhi.
Other airlines are relying on private security firms to help determine flight paths, altitudes, and times of day in order to mitigate risks and cope with growing disruptions in Russian air traffic.
Meanwhile, following Zelenskyy’s comments, the Turkish airline Pegasus canceled several flights to Russia, citing “technical and operational reasons.” The next day, the Emirati airline Flydubai followed suit, stating that it was adjusting its schedule and flight routes due to the “changing situation in the region.”
“According to data from the specialized company Flightradar24, since September 1, domestic and international airlines have been canceling an average of 86 flights per day,” writes the WSJ.
A plane crash is only a matter of time
Instead, Russia is using a limited safety protocol that it calls “carpet” restrictions, as opposed to the “blanket” ban common in international practice, which entails a formal closure of airspace. The Russian civil aviation regulator publishes information about temporary airspace closures on messaging platforms such as Telegram and the state-backed Max, forgoing official Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).
“The situation in the airspace is becoming increasingly complex. It’s probably only a matter of time before—according to statistics—another catastrophic event occurs in and around this conflict zone. The bottom line is that if you do what Russia is doing, it leads to planes being shot down,” said Matt Bori, chief intelligence officer at Osprey.