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Authorities restricted flights at Moscow’s four airports from the evening of October 15 until early October 16, while St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport remained closed until 9 a.m. Almost 200 flights were reported delayed or canceled across the two cities; Russian officials said air defenses intercepted drones, but the reported drone figures have not been independently verified.
Flight restrictions at five airports in Moscow and St. Petersburg disrupted almost 200 flights overnight from October 15 to 16, according to Russian media reports. The restrictions followed reported drone attacks and interceptions, though the specific accounts of drones shot down come from Russian officials and have not been independently verified.
Russia’s federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, restricted arrivals and departures at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports beginning on the evening of October 15. The restrictions remained in place until early on October 16. The Moskva news agency reported that almost 160 flights at the Moscow airports were delayed or canceled, with the largest reported totals at Sheremetyevo, at 79, and Vnukovo, at 66.
St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport was also closed, with restrictions lasting until 9 a.m. Fontanka, a St. Petersburg-based news outlet, reported that 37 departing flights and nine arriving flights were delayed or canceled there. Added to the Moscow figures, those reports put the total across the two cities at nearly 200 affected flights. The reports do not break down how many were cancellations versus delays.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses 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 are official statements about interceptions; the source report does not provide independent confirmation of the totals or details about damage or casualties.
Airport Disruptions Spread Across Two Cities
The overnight restrictions affected major air hubs serving Moscow and St. Petersburg, interrupting both departures and arrivals across five airports. Delays and cancellations can leave passengers needing to rebook or wait for updated schedules, while also disrupting airline operations. The reported figures show the scale of the immediate travel impact, but do not establish how many passengers were affected.
The incident also comes amid more frequent airport closures in Moscow this month, according to figures cited by independent outlet Agentstvo. That pattern points to recurring interruptions rather than a single isolated closure. It does not, by itself, establish the cause of every restriction or confirm the scale of any Ukrainian campaign against airport operations.
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A Rising Pattern of Moscow Closures
Agentstvo calculated that Moscow’s four airports were closed for a combined 101 hours during October 1–14, compared with 46 hours over the whole of September. The comparison concerns cumulative closure time, not the number of flights affected. It provides a measure of how often restrictions were imposed, but the report does not specify the reasons for each closure.
The Meduza report also cited Atlantic journalist Simon Shuster, who wrote the day before that Ukraine’s campaign to paralyze Russian airport operations was “just getting started,” citing sources. Shuster’s account describes an alleged strategy, not an official confirmation of responsibility for this particular disruption. On September 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian skies were “becoming unsafe” and that drones would appear there in a way that would have to be reckoned with. The report says Zelensky had not approved the original plan for more aggressive tactics.
“Air defense forces shot down 94 Ukrainian drones heading toward the Russian capital since the evening.”
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin
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Responsibility and Flight Impact Remain Unclear
The available report does not independently establish who launched the drones involved in the overnight incidents, or verify the interception totals given by Russian officials. It also does not report whether the incidents caused damage, injuries or deaths. The flight figures are attributed to Russian media outlets, and the source does not give a passenger count or a full breakdown between delayed and canceled services.
It is also unclear whether the restrictions were imposed in direct response to specific drone sightings, how many flights resumed immediately after they were lifted, or whether further operational limits followed. Shuster’s account of a broader Ukrainian strategy is based on sources and should not be treated as confirmation of the cause of this particular disruption.
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Watch for Airport and Airline Updates
Passengers should check directly with their airlines and airport operators for revised schedules, rebooking information and any new restrictions. The reported Moscow measures had ended by early October 16, while Pulkovo’s restrictions were reported to last until 9 a.m.; the source does not confirm the subsequent status of every airport or flight.
Further updates from aviation authorities and regional officials may clarify whether operations resumed fully and whether additional closures were ordered. Any new claims about drone launches, interceptions, damage or responsibility remain subject to confirmation.
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Key Questions
Which airports restricted flights?
Rosaviatsiya restricted flights at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports. St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport also closed temporarily.
How many flights were delayed or canceled?
Russian media reports put the total at almost 200 flights across the two cities. The reports cited almost 160 affected flights at Moscow airports and 46 at Pulkovo, but did not provide a full split between delays and cancellations.
What did officials report about 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. These figures are official statements and have not been independently verified in the source report.
Were all flights operating again by October 16?
The reported Moscow restrictions lasted until early October 16, and Pulkovo’s closure was reported to continue until 9 a.m. The source does not confirm the status of every airport or flight after those restrictions ended.
Source: rss
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