On Friday, October 23, all four airports of the Moscow aviation hub temporarily suspended receiving and dispatching flights due to a drone attack. At Sheremetyevo, an air alert was declared and passenger evacuation began, and dozens of flights were delayed, cancelled, or diverted to other cities.
The situation is reported by the Russian independent outlet Astra, "Fontanka" and the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia (Rosaviatsiya).
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, within approximately an hour and a half, Russian air defense forces allegedly shot down 14 drones that were heading toward the capital. Subsequently, the number of claimed interceptions continued to grow.
According to calculations by Russian state media based on statements from Moscow officials, as of 15:22, the total number of drones shot down since the beginning of the day reached 22. There is no independent confirmation of these figures.
Local residents reported explosions, probably related to the operation of anti-aircraft defense. In some areas, air raid sirens were heard.
Passengers evacuated from terminals and aircraft at Sheremetyevo
Around 14:00 Moscow time, all four airports of the capital - Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky - stopped receiving and sending aircraft.
The most difficult situation arose at Sheremetyevo, where an air alert was declared and passenger evacuation began.
At 14:53, Russian media, citing the airport administration, reported that passengers were urged to move to the nearest safe zones and shelters.
Subsequently, at 15:28, information appeared about the evacuation of people from terminals. Airport staff helped passengers move to protected premises, including leading people out of aircraft that were on the ground.
Access to the controlled zone of all terminals was restricted. Passengers were advised to stay away from windows and glass constructions.
The monitoring channel Exilenova+ also reported drone debris on the territory of Sheremetyevo. In addition, according to its information, helium balloons with suspended objects might have been used during the attack.
At the same time, there is no independent confirmation of these two reports. Russian official services have not released verified details regarding the origin of the debris or the use of balloons during this attack.
25 flights diverted to St. Petersburg
The closure of Moscow airports caused disruptions in aviation not only in the capital but also in other regions of Russia.
According to local media, as of 15:59, 25 flights that were originally supposed to land in Moscow were diverted to St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport.
Pulkovo served as an alternate aerodrome for the Moscow aviation hub. Airport representatives explained that depending on the airline's decision, passengers of diverted flights can either remain on board the aircraft or move to the terminal.
As of 15:30, 12 aircraft heading to Moscow had already landed at Pulkovo. At the same time, in St. Petersburg itself, 17 flights were delayed by more than two hours, and another seven were cancelled.
Airlines "Aeroflot" and "Rossiya" reported forced schedule adjustments. Some flights were rescheduled or cancelled, and other aircraft were sent to alternate airfields.
Additional delays may occur even after Moscow airports resume operations, as aircraft and crews need time to return to planned routes.
Moscow airports regularly stop due to attacks
The current closure is another in a series of large-scale disruptions in Russia’s civil aviation.
As previously reported by "Kurs Ukrainy", on October 17, due to drone attacks, over 350 flights were delayed or cancelled in the Moscow aviation hub.
According to calculations by the independent outlet "Agentstvo", in the first two weeks of October alone, the total duration of complete closure of the four Moscow airports exceeded 101 hours. This is more than twice as much as the entire September.
Regular restrictions create additional costs for airlines due to aircraft diversions, crew schedule disruptions, passenger services and the need to rebuild schedules.
