Kiev [Ukraine], September 3: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned all airlines against flying over Russia, saying Ukrainian drone operations would make the country's airspace unsafe.
"Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe," Zelensky said in a statement on Tuesday evening, adding that Ukraine was not threatening civilian aviation or individual aircraft.
"There will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account," he said. Russian airspace would be "effectively" closed, he added. Last week, he had threatened the deployment of up to 1,000 long-range drones per day.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted during a press conference in Bishkek, the capital of the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan, saying the incident amounted to "state terrorism" and that Russia would respond.
Putin said Ukraine was asking Russia to resume negotiations and seeking face-to-face meetings. He said, however, that Russia would not negotiate with "terrorists." The US-mediated talks were on hold, Putin said. At the same time, he said Moscow would welcome envoys sent by US President Donald Trump.
Asked why Moscow did not use military force to eliminate Ukraine's leadership in Kiev, Putin said Russia would still need people to negotiate with in the future.
Zelensky confirmed media reports that the US had asked for a pause in attacks on Moscow and St Petersburg on the previous Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. CIA chief John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow unannounced during that period.
Source: Qatar Tribune