Russian airports halt operations following unexpected drone attacks, with four airports in Moscow among those affected.
In a surprising turn of events, over a hundred drones, according to Russia's Defense Ministry, were sent swooping in from Ukraine, causing quite a ruckus. This unusual airborne invasion, launched late Tuesday, has forced more than a handful of Russian airports to slam the brakes on their traffic, especially in the heart of Moscow, just days before a planned military parade.
Among the chaos, 19 drones were shot down around Moscow, causing debris to rain down on a bustling avenue in the city's south. Luckily, there were no injuries reported. Moscow's Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, informed the city's residents about this via a post on Telegram.
Elsewhere, Kyiv reported that Russia had attacked using a whopping 136 drones.
With several world leaders scheduled to attend the Moscow parade and President Vladimir Putin set to deliver an address as part of World War II anniversary celebrations, safety is of utmost importance.
As a result, flight restrictions were implemented at four airports in Moscow, with the city's main Sheremetyevo airport managing to keep things relatively normal. Other cities like Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod were affected too.
In the southern part of Moscow, debris from the skirmish caused damage, but thankfully, no casualties were reported. However, images circulated in Russian media showcased a cracked supermarket window and a blackened residential building facade.
The governors of Voronezh and Penza reported that a total of 18 and 10 drones respectively were intercepted in their regions, with no reported injuries.
In the Kursk region, an electrical substation was attacked, leaving two teenagers injured. Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor, shared this information via a Telegram post.
Earlier in the day, Russian authorities announced that they had successfully repelled four drones approaching Moscow, where the conflict in Ukraine often seems far removed.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, a drone strike in the Odesa region claimed the life of one individual, as reported by governor Oleg Kiper on Monday night.
With all this drone drama, it seems like the skies are going to be a bit more busy than usual for the air traffic control towers—watch out for those rogue drones!
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
These air traffic restrictions at Russian airports are caused by a combination of safety concerns due to falling debris, operational disruptions, security for the Victory Day preparations, and the sheer scale of the attacks. With more than a hundred drones being sent over multiple regions, it's no wonder temporary no-fly zones were established to manage defense responses and ensure the safety of both civilian air travel and critical infrastructure.
In light of over a hundred drones causing chaos and falling debris in Moscow, temporary no-fly zones were established due to safety concerns for both civilian air travel and critical infrastructure. The disruptions due to the drone attacks have forced more than a handful of Russian airports, including the city's main Sheremetyevo airport, to implement flight restrictions. Additionally, with world leaders scheduled to attend a military parade and President Vladimir Putin delivering an address, the sheer scale of these attacks warrants these measures to ensure the safety of all.
