All four Moscow airports suspend flights amid drone attack
All four airports serving Moscow temporarily suspended arrivals and departures on October 23 amid reports of a drone attack on the Russian capital, according to Russia's federal aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya.
The restrictions affected Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports.
Sheremetyevo declared an air raid alert and instructed passengers and staff to move to designated shelters. The airport warned that the alert was not a drill and prohibited passengers from remaining aboard aircraft or approaching windows.
The closures disrupted air traffic across the region, leaving aircraft circling while awaiting landing clearance. Some Moscow-bound flights were diverted to St. Petersburg.
Among the affected aircraft was a plane operated by Russia's special flight detachment, which transports senior government officials, including President Vladimir Putin. There was no indication that Putin was aboard.
An Airbus A380 arriving from Dubai was also among the aircraft affected by the restrictions.
Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+ reported that approximately 340 flights had been delayed or canceled. The figure has not been independently verified.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that Russian air defenses had shot down 14 drones approaching the capital over approximately 90 minutes.
Residents reported explosions and air raid sirens in parts of the Moscow region.
Russian independent media also reported the evacuation of the IQ-quarter tower in Moscow City, which houses offices of several government ministries.
Separately, an image circulated online purportedly showing drone debris on the grounds of Sheremetyevo Airport. Its authenticity and location have not been independently verified.
Moscow's airports have faced repeated disruptions during drone alerts. On October 9, an aircraft previously used by Putin was diverted from Vnukovo to St. Petersburg amid another reported drone attack.