UN Worried About Expansion of Ukraine Crisis Amid Zelensky’s Threats to Airlines Flying Over Russia
Aeroflot Airbus A321-251NX at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport. File photo.
UNITED NATIONS, September 2 (Sputnik) — The United Nations is concerned about the potential expansion of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday after threats by Volodymyr Zelensky against civilian airlines flying over Russian territory.
"We're concerned about the expansion of this conflict, and it is important that in this conflict as [in] any other [that] all precautions must be taken not to do harm to civilians or civilian infrastructure," Dujarric said during a press briefing in response to a question by RIA Novosti regarding the threat.
Late on Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would find ways to respond if Kiev tried to implement its threats to «close the skies» in Russia, characterizing the threats as a «declaration of state terrorism.»Zelensky told airlines this week that Russia’s airspace would be «effectively closing» as Ukraine escalates its drone campaign. «We want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, everyone who still uses key Russian airports: the Russian sky is becoming completely dangerous.»While Western carriers stopped flying to Russia in 2022, top airlines from the Middle East, Asia and Africa have continued service, ignoring threats of sanctions or regulatory crackdowns by Western powers.
