Multitudes of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles create chaos in Moscow's airspace control. - Multitudes of Ukrainian-operated drones cause air traffic disruptions across Moscow's skies.
Update on Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Persistent Drone Attacks Disrupt Air Traffic in and Around Moscow
Hundreds of combat drones from Ukraine have been causing a stir and disrupting air traffic in the Russian capital, Moscow, and its surrounding areas. Over three days from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the interception of 485 enemy drones. Most of the launches were over the Moscow region and the neighboring south.
Although unverified independently, the military figures suggest a consistent barrage of Ukrainian attacks. Despite the high number of aerial objects, ground damage appears to have been limited.
Throughout the day, Moscow Mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, announced the shooting down of drones heading for Moscow. As a result, there were temporary suspensions of take-offs and landings at Moscow's airports, according to the aviation authority Rosaviatsiya. However, only around three dozen flights were delayed. In the afternoon, restrictions were imposed again on the airports of Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo, with the airports of Ivanovo and Samara also affected.
In the Russian region of Bryansk, a citizen reportedly lost their life, and another was injured due to a Ukrainian drone attack, as per Governor Alexander Bogomaz. In the neighboring region of Oryol, Governor Andrei Klychkov reported "massive drone attacks" on Telegram, and mobile internet was reportedly shut down.
On the Ukrainian side, an 85-year-old woman was killed in Russian shelling, according to the military governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin. The Ukrainian air force claims Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with an Iskander-M missile and 128 drones and drone decoys. Of these, 112 drones were downed, with several regions, including Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv, reportedly targeted.
Ukraine, which has been defending itself against Russian invasion for over three years with Western support, has resorted to regularly targeting sites in Russia as part of its defensive strategy. The casualties and damage caused appear insignificant compared to the destructive impact of the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Enrichment Data Evaluation: The enrichment data mentions that the increase in drone attacks around Moscow since January 1, 2025, surpasses the total closures for the years 2023 and 2024 combined. This data also highlights the strategic shift with an intensified focus on the Moscow region. Given the context, it is relevant to mention this information to provide additional context on the escalation of the drone campaign, but it does not need to be integrated directly into the body of the article.
Moscow, Ukraine, Drone, Air traffic
The Moscow airports experienced temporary suspensions and delays due to the persistent drone attacks originating from Ukraine, as part of Ukraine's defensive strategy that increasingly focuses on the Moscow region, following a surge in drone incidents in 2025, surpassing the total closures for the years 2023 and 2024 combined. Given the recent advancements in technology, the employment policy could potentially be affected as the disruptions in air traffic might necessitate additional staffing to manage the impact on general-news, sports, and business events.
