Moscow, Oct 11. (dpa/GNA) – Moscow’s four airports temporarily suspended flight operations Sunday evening, due to approaching Ukrainian drones, the state news agency TASS reported.
All landings and take-offs at Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were cancelled for a short time.
At least 25 incoming aircraft were diverted to other airports during this period. The alert was lifted at all airports late in the evening, TASS reported.
According to Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, at least 23 Ukrainian drones heading for the Russian capital were shot down before reaching the city limits. He did not specify whether the drones had breached air defences or caused any damage, however.
Flight operations were also disrupted in other Russian cities in the evening by incoming drones. All take-offs and landings were temporarily suspended in Kostroma and Yaroslavl, north-east of Moscow.
The targets of the Ukrainian drones were not known.
For months, Ukraine has been attacking arms factories and refineries deep within Russia, in order to weaken Moscow’s war machine.
GNA