[61783] Widespread flight disruptions in Russia due to a wave of drone attacks in Moscow and the south of the country

Widespread flight disruptions in Russia due to a wave of drone attacks

This morning, May 16, 2026, Russia experienced a widespread wave of drone attacks, which led to the imposition of unusual restrictions on the airspace. According to reports from РИА Новости, a media outlet identified with the official line of the Kremlin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that ten drones were shot down on their way to the capital. Similar events were reported by other media channels such as Телеканал Дождь, which reports from a critical perspective on the Russian government.

Following the military activity, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) temporarily closed the Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports in Moscow. Ньюсач/Двач noted that these are strict safety restrictions. At the same time, the closure of airports in the south of the country was reported, including Sochi, Krasnodar, and Gelendzhik, as published on the СОЛОВЬЁВ channel, which highlights the measures taken to protect the airspace.

The restrictions caused heavy congestion and disruptions to the flight schedule. According to Говорит Москва, delays of 17 flights were reported at the Krasnodar airport, while in Sochi, there was a report of a delay of 25 flights for companies such as Aeroflot and Pobeda. The channel emphasized that these are official figures from the online flight schedule.

As of noon, most of the restrictions were gradually lifted. Media outlets such as Агентство "Москва" updated that the Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports returned to regular operations, while operations at Vnukovo are being conducted under special coordination. The reports come alongside official claims by the government in Moscow regarding the downing of a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles that were on their way to the city.