Ukraine warns Russian airspace unsafe as drone war intensifies; Kyiv hit for seventh day

Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned a surge in Ukrainian drones in Russia's skies meant Russian airspace would be "effectively" closed. Meanwhile, Russian drones have hit Kyiv for a seventh straight day. Follow DW for more.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns drone surge is making Russian airspace unsafe for civil aviation

Zelenskyy also says Germany and Ukraine are finalizing a drone deal

Two civilians reported killed in Russian attacks on central Ukrainian city of Dnipro

Germany says EU countries handing out too many visas to Russians

Berlin is pushing for other EU members to cut down on tourist visas to Russian citizens, essentially calling for stricter rules across the entire EU.

More than 600,000 short-stay visas were issued by EU countries in Russia last year. Italy, France and Spain issued the most, while Germany approved a mere 20,000.

Berlin says it wants to make sure that people who could pose a security risk are not allowed to enter the EU.

The call comes as tensions between Germany and Russia peak over Berlin’s accusation that Moscow was the mastermind behind an attempted drone attack a German airport in August.

Russian ship seized in Norway

Norway has seized a Russian ship due to a request by Ukrainian state company Naftogaz, the company said.

According to Naftogaz — which has been looking for compensation from Russia since 2016 due to its expropriation of Naftogaz property — the seizure was meant to ensure that Russia meets its outstanding obligations.

It was ordered by the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court.

The vessel, the Professor Molchanov, was Russia-owned.

"Russia cannot evade responsibility by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award, " Naftogaz's acting CEO Sergii Fedorenko said.

Belgium's position on frozen Russian assets unchanged

Belgium's opposition to using frozen Russian assets has remained in place, the country's foreign minister said.

This comes after several European Union countries called the bloc to move forward with the move last week.

According to Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, the idea "generated little enthusiasm" among the bloc's foreign ministers, adding the Brussels government's objection to the move stems from reasons that "have not magically disappeared."

About 210 billion euros (243.4 billion dollars) of Russian assets were immobilized following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Belgium last year rejected the European Commission's proposal to use the assets for a loan to Ukraine due to fears it would not be singled out by potential lawsuits by Russia.

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Pressure on Russia to grow, EU foreign policy chief says

The European Union's foreign policy head Kaja Kallas said the bloc is interested in tightening the enforcement of sanctions against Russia.

The move should also come with increasing pressure on Moscow, as well as increasing support for Ukraine.

"Attempts to intimidate Europe will fail," Kallas said.

Childrens' hospice founder arrested after war criticism

The founder of a Russian children's hospice has been detained and charged with deliberately spreading false information about the war in Ukraine.

Lida Moniava, who is known for her engagement for sick children, took to Telegram to call the war a crime and said it must end.

According to Russian investigators, Moniava posted false information "presented as credible reports" about the Russian army's actions against civilian population in Ukraine.

The childrens' hospice Moniava founded in Moscow said it will continue to operate as usual, without adding further information.

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The European Union's foreign policy head Kaja Kallas summoned the Russian envoy in Brussels following Germany's announcement that Russia was behind the attempted attack at Leipzig Airport last month.

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Ukraine says Russian airspace 'not safe' amid drone surge

Kyiv says it has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is "not safe" as a result of increasing Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory.

Ukraine has also asked the UN agency to prohibit member countries from using Russian airspace, according to a government letter to the ICAO cited by Reuters.

It came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned airlines to stay away.

"We in Ukraine do not want innocent lives to be lost. That is why we are warning our partners: the safe days in Russia's skies are over," Zelenskyy said.

"Drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation," he added. "The sky over Russia is currently for drones ... as long as the war continues."

Last week, Zelenskyy threatened to deploy up to 1,000 long-range drones per day.

The ICAO has not commented on the request from Ukraine.

Russia's aviation watchdog regularly closes airports in response to the Ukrainian drones. Ukraine's airspace has been closed since the war started in 2022.

While European ​and US carriers do not fly over Russia due to the conflict, the airspace is used by other airlines from China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries.

Russia has stepped up its strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. Ukraine has responded with long-range drone strikes on Russian energy and military infrastructure.

Kyiv under attack for 7th straight day, 2 civilians killed in Dnipro

Russian drones hit central Kyiv for a seventh day in a row on Wednesday, injuring seven people and damaging residential and university buildings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The attack on a downtown university forced some 160 people to take shelter, he added.

Also on Wednesday, Russia struck electricity facilities in the southern Odesa region, knocking out power to more than 350,000 homes, authorities said.

Two people were also killed and eight wounded in Russian strikes on the southeastern city of Dnipro, officials said.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired 174 attack drones, as well as two ballistic missiles and two plane-launched missiles at Ukraine overnight.

Meanwhile, Russia said its air defenses destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Wednesday killed two people in Russia's Belgorod border region and wounded 16 more, officials said.

Russia launches missile and drone barrage on Kyiv

Welcome to our coverage

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines to avoid Russian airspace amid a surge in Ukrainian drone activity.

Kyiv formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization that Russian airspace was "not safe."

Moscow, in response, said it was improving flight safety and would not allow Ukraine to seriously disrupt aviation.

More than four years after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the two countries continue to trade daily strikes.

Russian attacks on Wednesday killed two civilians and wounded six in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, local officials said, while the capital Kyiv was targeted for a seventh day in a row.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said he held a call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and that their two countries were close to finalizing a drone deal.

We'll be following these developments, along with other key events in Russia's war against Ukraine, throughout the day in this blog.