Russia faced significant disruptions to air travel early Tuesday as Ukraine launched 105 drones in an overnight strike, prompting flight restrictions at more than a dozen airports, including four in Moscow. The drone strikes came just days before Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, where President Vladimir Putin is expected to speak and foreign leaders will be in attendance.
The Russian defense ministry reported that 19 drones were shot down around Moscow. While the city’s main Sheremetyevo Airport remained mostly operational, other airports in the capital and cities such as Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod were forced to suspend or restrict traffic. Authorities have not specified when full operations will resume.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed damage in the city but said there were no injuries. “Debris had fallen on a major avenue in southern Moscow,” Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, adding there was “no damage or casualties.” Russian media shared footage showing a cracked supermarket window and blackened residential building facade.
The governors of Voronezh and Penza reported intercepting 18 and 10 drones, respectively. In the Kursk region, acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said a drone strike on an electrical substation in Rylsk injured two teenagers. “As a result of the attack on the city, two transformers were damaged, and the power was completely cut off,” he posted on Telegram.
Ukraine also experienced attacks. In Odesa, a Russian drone strike killed one civilian, regional governor Oleg Kiper reported.
As both nations escalate drone warfare, Moscow is increasingly brought into the conflict’s reach. Russian authorities said Monday that defense forces had intercepted four drones aimed at the capital, underscoring a growing vulnerability.
Despite the heightened tensions, Moscow is moving forward with Victory Day preparations.
