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Russian aviation authorities restricted flights at four Moscow airports from the evening of October 15 until early October 16, while St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport remained closed until 9 a.m. Local reports counted nearly 200 delayed or canceled flights across the two cities; Russian officials said air defenses intercepted drones, but the full extent of any damage was not reported.
Russian aviation authorities restricted flights at four Moscow airports on the evening of October 15 and at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport overnight, disrupting nearly 200 flights by local media counts. The restrictions, imposed amid reported drone attacks, affected arrivals and departures and continued into the morning of October 16.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, known as Rosaviatsiya, restricted flights at Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky beginning on the evening of October 15. The measures remained in place until early October 16. The Moskva news agency reported that almost 160 flights at Moscow airports were delayed or canceled, including 79 at Sheremetyevo and 66 at Vnukovo. The report did not specify how the remaining affected flights were divided among the other airports.
St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport was also closed, with restrictions lasting until 9 a.m. on October 16. The outlet Fontanka reported that 37 departing flights and nine arriving flights there were delayed or canceled. Taken together, the reports put the disruption at nearly 200 flights across the two cities. These are counts of delayed or canceled flights, not a confirmed total of passengers affected.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense forces shot down 94 Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital since the evening. Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said four drones were shot down over the region. Those figures are officials’ statements; the report did not independently verify them or provide details about damage, casualties, or where interceptions occurred.
Airport Disruptions Across Two Cities
The closures affected air travel at two of Russia’s largest urban centers, forcing airlines and passengers to contend with delays and cancellations through the overnight period and into the morning. Disruptions at several airports at once can complicate rerouting and passenger connections, although the source report gives no figures for missed connections, stranded travelers, or the financial cost.
The episode also extends a pattern of repeated flight restrictions in Moscow during October. Such measures are intended to respond to security concerns, but they can interrupt normal airport operations even when authorities report that drones were intercepted. The current reports do not establish that any drone struck an airport or caused damage to aviation infrastructure.
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A Rising Pattern of October Closures
The independent Russian investigative outlet Agentstvo calculated that Moscow’s four airports were closed for a combined 101 hours during the first 14 days of October. It compared that with 46 hours of closures over the whole of September. The figures describe closure time, not the number of separate attacks, and do not establish why each restriction was imposed.
The report also cited Atlantic journalist Simon Shuster, who wrote the day before, citing sources, that Ukraine’s campaign to disrupt Russian airport operations was “just getting started.” Shuster’s account describes an assessment attributed to his sources, not an official announcement of a new operation. The report said Ukraine had used long-range drones in recent weeks to make airspace around Russian airports harder to use, while noting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had not approved the more aggressive tactics in an original plan.
On September 1, Zelensky said Russian skies were “becoming unsafe,” adding that “drones will start appearing in Russia’s skies in a way that will have to be reckoned with.” The remarks provide context for the broader drone campaign, but they do not confirm responsibility for the specific drones reported overnight on October 15–16.
“Air defense forces shot down 94 Ukrainian drones heading toward the Russian capital since the evening.”
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin
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Damage and Flight Recovery Unclear
The reports do not establish whether any drone reached or damaged an airport, nor do they provide a confirmed account of casualties or damage from the reported interceptions. The drone totals come from Russian regional officials, and the supplied reporting contains no independent confirmation of those counts or the drones’ precise routes.
It is also unclear how many passengers were affected, whether airlines added replacement services, or how quickly schedules returned to normal after the restrictions were lifted. The flight figures are attributed to local news outlets, and the report does not give a final, consolidated count from the airports or airlines.
Responsibility for the specific overnight attacks is not independently established in the source material. Broader reporting about Ukrainian drone activity and airport disruption does not by itself confirm who directed each incident or whether the reported events followed a particular operational plan.
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Airlines Resume Normal Schedules
The immediate next step is for airlines and airport operators to clear the backlog and update passengers as services resume. Travelers with flights scheduled for October 16 should check directly with their airline or airport for the latest departure and arrival information; the report does not state how long the disruption continued after the restrictions ended.
Further updates from Rosaviatsiya, airport operators, and regional authorities may clarify whether restrictions were fully lifted, whether additional flights were affected, and whether officials reported damage or casualties. No later operational update or confirmed investigation findings were included in the source material.
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Key Questions
Which airports restricted flights?
Rosaviatsiya restricted flights at Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky in Moscow from the evening of October 15 until early October 16. Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg was closed until 9 a.m. on October 16.
How many flights were delayed or canceled?
Local media reported almost 160 affected flights at Moscow airports and 46 at Pulkovo, making nearly 200 across both cities. The figures combine delays and cancellations.
What did Russian officials report about the drones?
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses shot down 94 drones heading toward Moscow. Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said four were shot down over the region. The source report did not independently verify the figures.
Was damage or injury reported?
The source material does not provide a confirmed account of damage or casualties. It also does not establish that a drone struck any airport.
When were the restrictions lifted?
Moscow’s restrictions lasted until early October 16; Pulkovo’s closure lasted until 9 a.m. The report does not say when airport schedules returned to normal or whether further delays followed.
Source: rss
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