European Aviation Agency Warns of High Risks in Russian Airspace

The warning follows the deadly downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, highlighting risks of misidentification by Russian air defenses.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a warning against flying over western Russian airspace due to risks of civilian aircraft being misidentified and targeted.
The alert was prompted by the December 25 crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which investigators believe was mistakenly shot down by Russian air defense systems.
The crash occurred near Grozny, Russia, killing 38 of the 67 people on board, and was described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'tragic incident.'
EASA highlighted deficiencies in civil-military coordination in Russian airspace, exacerbated by ongoing conflict with Ukraine and frequent activation of air defense systems.
While EU airlines have avoided Russian airspace since 2022 sanctions, non-EU carriers such as those from China, Turkey, and Gulf states continue to operate flights in the region.