Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky issued an extraordinary warning. Russian airspace is about to become so saturated with Ukrainian drones that it will be “completely unsafe” for civil aviation, he said, urging airlines to suspend services. The declaration of a de facto no-fly zone was couched in a goodwill gesture of letting everyone know in advance.
Zelensky framed the statement as a response to the increased tempo of Russian attacks targeting Kyiv in recent weeks. These attacks are dominated by the jet-powered Geran-4 drone that is fired constantly in small batches, disrupting daily life and business, and leaving residents nervous and exhausted. The drones pose a major dilemma to Ukraine’s air defences. Only high-value portable MANPADs, air-to-air missiles, and surface-to-air systems are capable of dealing with them.
Zelensky’s intervention was influenced by the Ukrainian public’s expectation of a swift and effective response. As with the ballistic missile threat from the Bryansk region of Russia, defensive action is not enough. A pro-active response is required.
What happened?
In an interview with , Moshiri said she has been diagnosed with an incurable type of blood cancer.
What is polycythaemia vera (PV)
PV thickens the blood by causing bone marrow to continuously produce red blood cells.
What are the risks?
This increases the risk of blood clots, which can cause stroke, heart attack or deep vein thrombosis.
The symptoms
Symptoms can include headaches, confusion, dizziness and blurred vision.
What treatment did she receive?
Her treatment involved a procedure called a , where almost a pint of blood is removed through a vein about twice a month to reduce the red blood cell concentration.
Immunotherapy treatment reduced the frequency of Moshiri’s venesections but initially came with “horrendous” side effects including insomnia, headaches and itching.
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Working through treatment
I was working 14-hour days, constantly on air, constantly having to think on my feet
Moshiri worked throughout her treatment, including leading the BBC’s coverage of the death of Pope Francis from Rome.
She said that although “adjusting to a different life” is challenging, a future “punctuated by hospital appointments and loads of medication” to deal with the disease is better than the alternative.
How UK’s first ‘super-university’ can tackle Neets crisis
The head of the UK’s first “super-university” has said that merging two universities can help reduce the number of people not in employment, education or training (Neet).
A new ‘super-university’
What is it?
The newly formed London and South East University Group (Lase) is now the third largest university in the UK.
How big is it?
It contains over 50,000 students across four campuses in London, Medway and Kent.
Which universities merged?
The universities of Kent and Greenwich legally merged to form Lase last month.
What is the Neets crisis?
- 1In April to June, an estimated 981,000 people aged 16-24 in the UK were classed as Neets.
- 2This represented a fall of 30,000 compared with the first quarter of the year.
- 3However, the figure is still 30,000 higher than a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The role of ‘super-unis’
It’s a real opportunity for us address the very people that the Government’s worried about
Lase chief executive Professor Jane Harrington said the merger will help the universities deal with growing operational costs and provide more accessible learning pathways to better address the needs of the regions in a way they could not on their own.
How will Lase work?
- Kent and Greenwich universities will still operate as distinct academic entities within the group.
- They retain their current names and students still apply to and graduate from the institution they choose.
- The group will now be able to offer subjects that they could not before when they were separate entities.
- Students will also be able to use libraries and access wellbeing services across campuses.
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What strain are universities facing?
Higher education providers in the UK have been facing increasing financial pressures, with MPs on the Education Committee warning earlier this year that there is a “real risk” a university in England could close due to insolvency for the first time.
The Office for Students told the committee it feared 24 providers were at risk of becoming insolvent and closing in the 12 months from November last year.
More ‘super-universities’ to come?
Lase is writing up a “blueprint” for the Department for Education to work as a “model” for a group structure which other universities would be able to use.
In May, King’s College London and Bedford-based Cranfield University announced plans to merge in August 2027.
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EES checks resume – three ways to avoid border delays
A loophole allowing countries to pause the EU’s new border checks has ended, sparking concern that the travel chaos reported earlier in the summer may return.
EES border checks set to resume
EU border checks are set to start again in full force from Monday, 7 September, as member states’ rights to waive Entry/Exit System (EES) checks during times of maximum stress comes to an end.
While EES is unavoidable, and there is no way to skip the queue entirely, there are some ways to alleviate the stress of border check delays.
What is the EES?
- EES requires British passport holders and other third-country nationals to register biometric data when entering or exiting the Schengen area.
- Applying to 29 countries across Europe, excluding Ireland and Cyprus, the system caused has widespread delays since its introduction in April.
- Until now, the registration could be temporarily suspended by border officials when queues were too long to manage.
- But despite objections from some member states, this loophole has now expired, leaving holidaymakers facing the possibility of more significant delays.
How can you avoid delays
- 1Travel outside peak times – even the busiest airports, like Palma and Lisbon, were quieter later in the summer.
- 2Skip duty free – going straight to the border control desk will allow you to see how busy it is.
- 3Pre-register for Sweden and Portugal – currently applying only to Sweden and Portugal, the Travel to Europe app allows users to pre-register, reducing the information needed at border control to just fingerprint scans.
Go to passport control ASAP
A spokesperson for Abta, a UK travel agent trade association, recommended passengers go to passport control as soon as possible after getting through security.
It follows reports earlier this summer of long delays and some flights setting off while several passengers were still in the long border control queues.
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The warning to pilots and airlines marked an effort to maintain Ukraine’s moral high ground over Russia, signalling that it is exercising self-defence in a way that is mindful of civilians and the laws of war – and need not jeopardise support from European countries. Zelensky stopped short of adopting the more reckless plans of former defence ministry chief Mykhailo Fedorov, who proposed swarming Moscow airports with AI-powered drones.
There is little doubt that Ukraine has the ability to paralyse air traffic in Moscow, which would go a long way to fulfilling Zelensky’s plan to effectively close Russia’s skies. The president has avoided empty threats during this war and there is little reason to believe he is starting now.
Ukraine launches an average of 300 drones into Russia each day, according to official statistics, and Zelensky plans to increase this to 1,000. The figure is realistic with consistent European funding as it is straightforward to scale up production and the weaponry is combat-proven.
The existing tempo has forced 3,626 temporary closures of Russian airports this year, according to data from the Osprey Flight Solutions aviation risk management group. Over the whole of 2025, the figure was only 1,923.
The Ukrainian military has focused attacks on Moscow, which has forced suspensions at three of the country’s busiest airports. In 2024, more than 75 million passengers used the three major Moscow airports – Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Domodedovo – accounting for more than one third of all Russian air passengers that year.
Ukraine is also finding indirect ways to close Russia’s skies. Since May, there have been at least eight major drone attacks on Moscow. The targets included a refinery that supplies kerosene to the capital’s airports.
Zelensky’s warning is already having an effect, forcing Moscow airports to suspend and cancel flights. Sheremetyevo airport cancelled 21 flights and suspended 235, while Vnukovo cancelled 22 flights and suspended 94. Airlines such as Turkey’s Pegasus cancelled their services to Moscow.
Airport function is crucial for Russia, the largest country in the world, with its vast distances and far-flung territories. Air transport knits the country together and allows it to function. Interruptions bring problems with governance given its centralised nature and constant interventions from Moscow in other parts of the country.
Air travel is also key to sanctions evasion. Specific deals often require journeys to Turkey, the Middle East, and countries across Asia.
The loss of flights would also add to the campaign of bringing the war home to Russian citizens, following attacks on fuel infrastructure and retail hubs, that make it more politically costly for the Kremlin. Wealthy Russians would find it more difficult to travel for holidays.
Zelensky’s plan will also force the Kremlin to make difficult decisions over air defence. Attempts to keep the skies inside Russia clear could divert assets from forces inside Ukraine, while attempts to protect Moscow could leave other parts of the country vulnerable. This could create more openings for Ukraine to undermine Russia’s war economy through attacks against oil refineries, exports, and military-industrial complex.
Even if it succeeds, a no fly zone over Russia would not bring the war to a favourable conclusion on its own. But combined with work in other arenas, such as resistance at the front, and economic pressure through sanctions, a sustained campaign against Russian air traffic would aggravate friction between the state and society.
Ukraine’s goal is more modest than victory – to force Russia to end its war without major concessions. Zelensky’s plan fits into that goal. At minimum, closing Russia’s skies could provide sufficient leverage to force Moscow into a limited ceasefire of air attacks of the kind that have scarred daily life in Kyiv. On the eve of another harsh winter, that would be cause for celebration for many Ukrainians.