On the night of January 24, flights were temporarily halted at three Moscow airports—Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky — due to threats of drone attacks in the capital region, according to Artem Korenyako, a representative of the Federal Air Transport Agency.
"Ensuring flight safety remains the top priority," Korenyako stated, as crews, air traffic controllers, and airport staff took measures to address the situation.
The restrictions began at 00:22 Moscow time in Domodedovo and Zhukovsky and at 01:32 in Vnukovo, lasting until 02:12. During this time, six aircraft were redirected to alternate airports — four heading to Vnukovo and two to Domodedovo.
By early morning, similar restrictions were introduced at airports in Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Penza, Samara, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk. Ufa airport also suspended operations by 7:00 a.m. However, by 8:25 a.m., flights resumed in Penza, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, and Samara.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported drones being destroyed in Shchyolkovo, Kolomna, Ramenskoye, Podolsk, and the Troitsky District, with no damage or casualties reported from falling debris.
Drone attack threats were also reported in Tatarstan, Samara, and Saratov Oblasts.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the interception and destruction of 121 drones overnight across 13 regions, including six over Moscow Oblast and one in Moscow itself. This marked the largest drone attack since September 1, 2024, when Ukraine reportedly launched 158 drones at Russian territory, intercepted in 15 regions.
This was reported by The Moscow Times.
Impact on Aviation
The instability caused by repeated drone threats has significantly disrupted airport operations. On January 14, six Russian airports, including those in Kazan, Kaluga, and Saratov, were also temporarily closed due to similar threats.
The disruptions have prompted eight international airlines, including Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air, Israel’s El Al, and Flydubai, to partially suspend flights to Russia.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also recommended halting flights to five Russian cities — Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, and Samara — citing the war in Ukraine and the heightened risk of accidental attacks on civilian aircraft due to poor coordination between authorities and the military.
