Ukrainian drone attacks have significantly disrupted air travel at Moscow’s four major airports, with hundreds of flights canceled or diverted over the weekend.
The Russian defense ministry reported intercepting over 230 drones since Saturday, including 27 targeting the capital.
These sustained assaults led to temporary closures of Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky airports, affecting thousands of passengers.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency diverted 134 flights to alternate airports to ensure safety during the drone strikes.
The defense ministry stated that 93 drones were downed overnight, with 19 approaching Moscow.
Regional airports, including Kaluga International Airport, were also temporarily closed after 45 drones were intercepted southwest of the capital.
State airline Aeroflot adjusted its schedules due to restrictions at Sheremetyevo, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.
The drone attacks extended to regions like Rostov, Bryansk, and the Black Sea, with no fatalities reported in Russia.
In Zelenograd, 23 miles from the Kremlin, debris from a downed drone sparked fires, damaging buildings and vehicles.
Ukraine’s intensified strikes, including actions by the anti-Putin group Atesh targeting a rail link in Tula, aim to disrupt civilian infrastructure.
These disruptions in Moscow, a hub for Russia’s elite, highlight Ukraine’s strategy to pressure the Kremlin amid ongoing peace talks.
The attacks coincide with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for new talks with Moscow to restart stalled negotiations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated:
President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible.
With no ceasefire in sight and both sides reporting casualties — three in Ukraine from Russian strikes —nthe conflict continues to disrupt lives and infrastructure.