Russian air defense systems have downed a Ukrainian drone outside Moscow, authorities said Tuesday amid reports that the capital’s airports had grounded flights over the threat of an attack.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that a drone attack had been “repelled” in the Odintsovo district southwest of Moscow, adding that nothing had been damaged and no one was injured in the incident.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense forces “foiled the Kyiv regime’s attempt to carry out a terrorist attack” with the unmanned aircraft.
Vnukovo Airport, located some 10 kilometers south of Odintsovo, told reporters it had imposed temporary restrictions on arrivals and departures around noon “for reasons beyond our control.”
Domodedovo Airport southeast of Moscow said it had rerouted several flights around the same time.
Unverified reporting by Telegram news channels with rumored links to Russia’s security services claimed that Zhukovsky Airport near Domodedovo imposed similar restrictions.
Sheremetevo Airport north of Moscow was reported to have received some of the rerouted flights.
Almost a daily occurrence in Russia’s border regions near Ukraine, drone attacks have periodically targeted Moscow and its surrounding areas.
Ukrainian authorities rarely comment on the drone attacks within Russian territory.
