The International Civil Aviation Organization has warned that international law strictly prohibits using weapons against civilian aircraft following threats from Kyiv regarding Russian airspace.
Responding to statements from Ukrainian authorities, the United Nations aviation agency emphasized that member nations must guarantee the safety of commercial flights, state news outlet RIA Novosti reported.
The statement followed an appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to international airlines operating over Russia. Zelensky called on foreign commercial carriers to refrain from flying through Russian airspace, citing risks associated with drone operations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the appeal by the Ukrainian president. Putin stated that the comments made by Zelensky represented a formal application for state terrorism.
International civil aviation law
The International Civil Aviation Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Established to support peaceful global air transit, the agency coordinates international flight safety standards, manages air navigation protocols, and oversees legal compliance among member nations.
The organization operates under the governing framework of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, commonly referred to as the Chicago Convention. Originally drafted in 1944, the international treaty sets fundamental legal rules for global air travel and obligates signatory governments to uphold civilian aviation safety.
Under the express provisions of the convention, member states are strictly prohibited from employing weapons against civilian aircraft in flight. The framework requires participating countries to take all necessary measures to safeguard commercial air routes and protect passenger flights from military action.
News agency coverage and political leadership
The response was reported by RIA Novosti, a major Russian state owned news agency based in Moscow. The agency operates under the Rossiya Segodnya media group and serves as an official news service reporting on government decisions and international affairs.
Kyiv is the capital and largest city of Ukraine, where President Zelensky has served as head of state since 2019. Moscow is the capital of Russia, where President Putin oversees the national government and state security policy.
