Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Will Expand Operations In Russia. He’s Warning Airlines To Avoid Its Airspace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on airlines to avoid Russian airspace as Kyiv is set to expand drone operations in the country.

Zelenskyy said in a social media post that "Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe," and even though "Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such," there "will simply be drones in Russia's skies on a scale that has to be taken into account."

"Although the Russian authorities are not properly informing people about this, Russian airspace will effectively be closing – the war started by Russia is closing its skies," Zelenskyy added.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and our other institutions will provide international organizations with full information about the dangers in Russian airspace. Drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation," he concluded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to the remarks, saying they amount to "state terrorism" and doubled down on his promise to intensify attacks.

A recent report noted that Putin told allies that he could be hanged if he doesn't achieve major goals in the war. "They will hang me," Putin told allies at one point during the war, according to a report by The Economist.

The outlet noted that the assessment plays a significant role in his decision to escalate the war further as Moscow fails to make significant gains in the battlefield.

Elsewhere, The Economist noted that it is not clear what the escalation could look like, but Kyiv expects drone and missile strikes to expand in the winter. Putin could also mobilize hundreds of thousands of additional troops even as life expectancy in the battlefield is less than an hour.

Russia could also escalate tensions with NATO countries, with some expressing concern about the possibility that such a scenario will take place in the near future.

In fact, Germany on Tuesday directly blamed Russia for an act of sabotage in the Leipzig airport last month.

"The attempted attack at Leipzig Airport on 4 August fits the established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe," said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Tuesday.

He went on to say that, as a result of the investigation, the country concluded that "Russia is responsible for the hybrid attack," adding that Berlin expects further attacks of the kind.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul added that the country will close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin. He added that the country will push for stronger sanctions against Moscow.

Top European officials quickly came out to support Germany. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the "evidence is clear" regarding the attack and he welcomes the measures.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she talked with German Chancellor Fredrick Merz and "assured him that the EU stands in full solidarity with Germany in the face of this attack by Russia."