Ukrainian Drone Success Forces Emirates to Rethink Flights to Russia
Emirates Airlines is closely reviewing its operations in Russia following Ukraine’s intensified drone strikes on Russian military targets, including multiple air bases. The shift in Kyiv’s tactics has raised new security concerns for carriers still flying into Russian airspace, The Gaze reports, citing Bloomberg.
Speaking at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) summit in New Delhi, Emirates President Tim Clark confirmed the airline currently has no plans to cancel routes to Moscow or St. Petersburg, but emphasized the situation remains fluid.
“This latest event was a little more worrying,” Clark said Monday in a Bloomberg TV interview. “As things get a little bit more acute, if I can use that word, we’ll be reviewing all of this.”
Clark highlighted that Emirates has built “cast-iron” contingency plans into its Russian operations, including fuel reserves that allow planes to return if landing becomes unsafe. “If there’s any sign of trouble, we’re out,” he said.
Ukraine launched a major wave of drone attacks over the weekend, hitting at least four Russian air bases and reportedly destroying more than 40 military aircraft. Russia’s defense ministry acknowledged five sites were targeted but claimed only “a few aircraft units” were damaged.
The attacks disrupted civilian air traffic, temporarily closing several Russian airports, and increased pressure on Russia’s internal logistics.
As The Gaze previously reported, Ukraine’s Security Service has successfully carried out a high-impact special operation deep within Russian territory, striking at the heart of Russia’s military-industrial infrastructure and severely damaging strategic aviation assets.
The covert mission, code-named “Spiderweb,” targeted multiple high-value military sites and has reportedly caused over $2 billion in losses to Russia’s air force.