Support The Moscow Times!

Moscow Airports Temporarily Halt Flights Amid Drone Attacks

Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Pelagia Tikhonova / Moskva News Agency

Three of Moscow’s four airports temporarily suspended flights Wednesday as Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian capital, authorities said.

Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports halted both inbound and outbound flights, while Sheremetyevo suspended arrivals but allowed some departures on a case-by-case basis, according to Artyom Korenyako, a spokesperson for Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency.

Those restrictions were introduced as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses downed three drones on approach to the city.

“Emergency services are working at the crash sites,” Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, without specifying locations.

The airspace restrictions were lifted less than an hour later, Rosaviatsia said.

Earlier in the day, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it destroyed 159 Ukrainian drones overnight, adding that its forces intercepted another 39 drones over six Russian regions and annexed Crimea on Wednesday morning.

The military has not commented on the midday strikes targeting Moscow.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more