Unmanned aerial vehicles from Ukraine causing three consecutive days of airspace disruption over Moscow during Victory Day parade celebrations.
Headline: Chaos at Moscow Airports: Yet Another Ukrainian Drone Attack Disrupts Thousands of Flights
Byline: Sasha Vakulina
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"Mayhem at Moscow airports" may be an understatement. For the third day in a row, flight disruptions are wreaking havoc on thousands of travelers, thanks to another Ukrainian drone attack.
On the brink of Russia's Victory Day parade, chaos persists in Moscow's airspace, leaving around 60,000 passengers stranded and experiencing delays or outright cancellations. Approximately 350 flights have been affected, and some airports have even been closed, according to the Association of Russia's Tour Operators.
Many passengers have been stuck on planes for hours, and Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency has warned of flight delays across central Russia due to aircraft late arrivals at initial airports.
Russian authorities have reported downing Ukrainian drones for the third consecutive day, causing disruptions in the region's aviation. Russian outlets claim that these attacks caused a "collapse" at airports in the Moscow region, forcing airlines to divert planes or postpone departures.
Even international leaders, such as Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, have been affected. His flight to Moscow for the parade had to be diverted to Baku, Azerbaijan, due to disruptions in the Russian airspace.
European leaders and neighboring countries have responded with resistance. Brussels has issued a warning to Vučić, while Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania have reportedly denied airspace passage to other leaders attending the Victory Day parade, citing political and diplomatic sensitivity.
In an attempt to secure the parade, President Vladimir Putin recently announced a unilateral "truce," purportedly halting all military actions from Thursday to midnight on Sunday. While Ukraine's President Vólodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed this proposal as a theatrical performance, Russia's ceasefire remains in effect.
In the capital, Kyiv, two people were killed, and eight others, including four children, were injured in Russian missile and drone strikes overnight on Wednesday.
Interesting Facts:
- A wave of drone attacks on the night of May 6-7, 2025, forced Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport to suspend flights twice, resulting in hundreds of cancelled flights and diversions.
- The drone attacks of May 6 and 7 destroyed 524 Ukrainian drones, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry. Similar disruptions were experienced in Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, Yaroslavl, and Kazan.
- Major Russian airlines like Aeroflot, Pobeda, and S7 Airlines canceled hundreds of flights, stranding over 4,000 passengers in 10 Siberian cities due to cascading flight delays.
- Internationally, Turkish Airlines also canceled flights to Russian cities like Moscow, Antalya, Dalaman, and Bodrum due to the ongoing disruptions.
Despite the ongoing disruptions, Moscow is still set to host the Victory Day parade, with many political and military leaders expected to attend. The exact impact on attendance remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: this year's event is shaping up to be a chaotic and uncertain affair for both travelers and leaders alike.
- The chaos in Moscow's airspace, caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, has stranded approximately 60,000 passengers and affected around 350 flights, according to the Association of Russia's Tour Operators.
- Amidst the sensitivities surrounding political and diplomatic relations, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania have reportedly denied airspace passage to leaders attending the Victory Day parade in Moscow.
- In an attempt to secure the parade, President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral "truce," halting all military actions from Thursday to midnight on Sunday, although Ukraine's President Vólodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed this proposal as a theatrical performance.
- The ongoing drone attacks and resulting flight disruptions have prompted major airlines like Aeroflot, Pobeda, S7 Airlines, and international carriers like Turkish Airlines to cancel numerous flights, affecting thousands of passengers in Russia and beyond.
