Ukrainian Drone Strikes Shut Moscow Airports as Trump Lifts Diesel Ban
Ukrainian drone barrages forced the closure of Moscow airports, disrupting Vladimir Putin's return flight while Donald Trump announced a deal to lift Russian diesel export bans.
A Ukrainian drone barrage forced the closure of all four airports in Moscow on Friday, disrupting the return of Vladimir Putin and his aides from a summit of former Soviet states in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. Flight tracking data showed government aircraft, including presidential Il-96-300PU jets, performing abnormal looping maneuvers or diverting to St. Petersburg. The Kremlin did not comment on the disruption, which follows a pattern of frequent airport closures in the capital due to Ukrainian strikes.
Following the return, Donald Trump announced a deal with the Kremlin to lift Russia's ban on diesel fuel exports. The United States Department of the Treasury will issue a temporary sanctions waiver to increase global supply and lower fuel prices before the U.S. midterm elections. This move addresses a supply crunch caused by Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.
