Russian Airports Enforce Air Traffic Restrictions Amid Ukraines Drone Assault

Airports throughout Russia implemented temporary air traffic restrictions on Tuesday after Ukraine launched over 100 drones aimed at various locations, including several that targeted Moscow just ahead of the city’s annual Victory Day parade.

According to the Defense Ministry, a total of 105 drones were directed at multiple regions in Russia, coinciding with the May 9 military celebration on Red Square, which President Vladimir Putin is anticipated to attend along with several foreign dignitaries to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defenses successfully intercepted 19 drones in the vicinity of the capital. Although debris from the interceptions caused damage to some buildings, no injuries were reported.

Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, has instituted temporary flight restrictions at more than a dozen airports, including four in Moscow, as reported by state media. The main operations at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport remained largely unaffected.

Flight delays and disruptions were also observed in cities like Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod.

Local governors reported that air defenses intercepted 18 drones in the Voronezh region and 10 drones in the Penza region, with no injuries reported from these incidents.

In the Kursk region, acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein reported that an attack on an electrical substation in the city of Rylsk resulted in injuries to two teenagers late Monday night.

“As a result of the attack, two transformers were damaged, leading to a complete power outage,” Khinshtein shared on Telegram.

Additionally, in southern Ukraine, a Russian drone strike resulted in one fatality in the Odesa region late Monday, as reported by regional governor Oleh Kiper.