Ukrainian drone raid shuts all four Moscow airports, air raid alert sounded
Russia halted flights at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports after a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow on Friday.
Update ·
Airports in Penza, Saransk and Saratov were also briefly suspended earlier the same day, Moldovan outlet IPN reports.
Russia suspended arrivals and departures at all four of Moscow's airports on Friday afternoon during a Ukrainian drone attack on the capital, Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said.
Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports halted flights from 2.05pm local time, Rosaviatsia said. An was sounded at Sheremetyevo, Moscow's largest airport, where passengers were evacuated to shelters, according to the Kyiv Independent and Meduza.
Vnukovo warned travellers to prepare for lengthy waits, including aboard aircraft, saying the restrictions were for safety reasons. Domodedovo said it was adjusting its schedule because of the temporary restrictions. Rosaviatsia itself did not mention drones, citing only flight-safety measures, according to Moldovan outlet IPN.
Earlier in the day, airports in the Russian regions of Penza, Saransk and Saratov were also briefly suspended and then reopened, IPN reported, citing Rosaviatsia.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin gave shifting figures for the number of drones intercepted: Mediafax reported he initially said 4 had been destroyed, then said a further 2 had been shot down half an hour later, while Kyiv Post and Meduza cited a separate figure of at least 11, and the Kyiv Independent reported 17. None of the figures was confirmed independently. Flight tracker FlightRadar24 recorded 85 cancelled flights and 229 delays at Sheremetyevo over the day, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Photos circulating on social media appeared to show debris from a downed drone on the Sheremetyevo tarmac, though the Kyiv Independent said it could not independently verify them. Ukraine had not commented on the attack at the time of reporting.
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What we know
- Official · Rosaviatsia All four Moscow airports halted flights from 2.05pm local time on Friday, Rosaviatsia said.
- Official · Sheremetyevo Airport An air raid alert was sounded at Sheremetyevo, where passengers were evacuated to shelters.
- 1 outlet · IPN Airports in Penza, Saransk and Saratov were also briefly suspended earlier in the day before reopening, IPN reported.
- Official · Moscow Mayor Sobyanin Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin gave several different figures for drones intercepted, none independently confirmed.
- 2+ outlets · Kyiv Post, Kyiv Independent Ukraine had not commented on the attack at the time of reporting.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The number of drones shot down was disputed: Sobyanin gave at least three different figures across separate statements (4, then 2 more, 11, and 17).
- Unconfirmed Photos said to show drone debris on the Sheremetyevo tarmac had not been independently verified, the Kyiv Independent said.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Temporary airport closures have become increasingly common across Russia as Ukrainian long-range drones reach further into Russian territory. Several countries including the US, UK, Canada, France and Italy have banned flights through Ukrainian airspace since 2022 because of the risks from military activity, and Zelensky has said Russian airspace is now effectively unsafe for civil aviation too.
NATO member states had experienced roughly 80 Russian drone and missile since 2022 as of 29 July, according to a report cited by the Kyiv Post, adding to concerns that the war could spill over into other countries' territory. Russia, Belarus and Moldova have also closed parts of their own airspace near their borders with Ukraine.
Updates
·
Airports in Penza, Saransk and Saratov were also briefly suspended earlier the same day, Moldovan outlet IPN reports.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 7 reports from 7 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- Antena 3 CNN: Aeroporturile din Moscova sunt din nou închise. Ucraina a reluat atacurile cu drone asupra capitalei Rusiei
- Kyiv Post: All 4 Moscow Airports Halt Flights as Sheremetyevo Issues Air Raid Alert
- The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drone attack triggers shut down of Moscow airports, drone debris reported on tarmac
- G4Media: Zborurile pe aeroporturile din Moscova, amânate din cauza atacurilor cu drone / Călătorii au fost evacuați
- IPN: All four airports in Moscow have suspended their operations due to drones
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Which Moscow airports were closed?
- Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky all suspended flights on Friday afternoon, Rosaviatsia said.
- Were other Russian airports affected?
- Airports in Penza, Saransk and Saratov were briefly suspended earlier the same day before reopening, Moldovan outlet IPN reported.
- Were there any casualties?
- No casualties or ground damage were reported.
This article was written with AI assistance from 7 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.