Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency restricted flights at Moscow’s four airports twice on Oct. 23 after drone reports, disrupting travel as authorities cited aviation safety.
The first restrictions at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky began at 7:05 a.m. ET (11:05 UTC). By 9:50 a.m. ET (13:50 UTC), limits had been lifted at Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky, while Domodedovo and Vnukovo were handling flights with approval. A second round was recorded at 10:25 a.m. ET (14:25 UTC). The agency cited flight safety for the temporary limits.
During an air alert, Sheremetyevo said its employees escorted passengers off aircraft and into protected areas. The airport urged travelers to use nearby safe areas or shelters and prepare for longer waits and possible changes to flight times.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said air defenses had downed four more drones at 10:03 a.m. ET (14:03 UTC). His official, unconfirmed tally for the day reached 21, up from 17 in an earlier post.
A Telegram post circulated photos purportedly showing debris on Sheremetyevo’s tarmac. The Kyiv Independent said it could not verify that the images showed drone debris. Russian officials did not identify who launched the drones.
