All Moscow Airports Closed For First Time Because Of UAV Attack

• 18.08.2023, 11:19

Explosions were also heard in Odintsovo, Trekhgorka and Krasnogorsk located near Moscow.

The work of all four Moscow airports was limited during the night of August 18 because of a drone, Rosaviatsia said.

"In order to ensure the safety of civil aircrafts flights to Moscow airports: Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo, the flights were temporarily restricted. As well as to Zhukovsky airport," the agency said (quoted by Interfax).

At 4:30 a.m. Moscow time, restrictions on the reception and dispatch of flights were lifted. During the closure of the airspace over Moscow, seven flights were diverted: three to Strigino airfield (Nizhny Novgorod), three to Pulkovo (St. Petersburg), one flight from Istanbul landed in Minsk.

It is specified that after the cancellation of restrictions, passengers of the flights were delivered to the airports of destination.

At night, the drone flew up to the Moscow City government complex. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the wreckage of the drone fell in the area of "Expocentre". One of the pavilions of "Expocentre" received significant damage. In particular, the outer wall collapsed. The area of the collapse is about 30 square metres.

Also the sounds of explosions were heard in Moscow region - Odintsovo, Trekhgorka and Krasnogorsk, writes the Shot telegram channel. There is no official confirmation of this information.

Moscow airports were last closed during a drone attack during the night of August 10. Then restrictions on the arrival and departure of flights were introduced in Vnukovo and Domodedovo. In total, the arrival of almost 30 flights was delayed at the two airports. The arriving planes were diverted to other air havens.