Moscow Airports Shut Down After 94 Drones Intercepted
Moscow suspended operations at four major airports on Friday after air defenses intercepted 94 drones targeting the capital.
Moscow's four major airports—Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky—suspended all arrivals and departures overnight into Friday, October 16. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defenses intercepted 94 drones targeting the capital. Russian aviation authorities stated the disruption led to the cancellation of over 200 flights and the diversion of more than 20 inbound aircraft.
This incident follows a pattern of increasing instability in Russian airspace, with similar shutdowns occurring on October 9 and October 13-14. The latter event caused more than 500 flight delays or cancellations. Reports indicate the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is developing a campaign codenamed "M&Ms" to disrupt Russian airports using AI-guided drones.
Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian airspace is increasingly risky due to Ukrainian strikes on military infrastructure. While he maintained that Ukraine does not target civilian aircraft, he stated that "the safe days in Russia’s skies are over" and that "drone-infested skies are no place for civilian aviation."
