Russia Downs 142 Drones in Overnight Attack; Moscow Airports Disrupted

Russia’s defense ministry reported it had intercepted and destroyed 142 drones in a massive overnight attack, including 27 over the Moscow region alone. The drones were shot down across several areas in western Russia and above the Black Sea, signaling one of the most widespread drone assaults on Russian territory to date.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that four drones were specifically targeting the capital and were neutralized early Sunday morning. The attacks prompted emergency measures, including temporary disruptions to air travel in the region.

Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said the drone activity impacted flight operations at all four of Moscow’s major airports: Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovskiy. A total of 134 flights were redirected as a safety precaution.

By 10:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), most airports had resumed operations, although Vnukovo Airport in Moscow and Grabtsevo Airport in the neighboring Kaluga region remained closed to air traffic.

The large-scale drone incursion is part of an escalating wave of aerial threats Russia has faced in recent months, many of which have targeted strategic infrastructure near the capital. The Russian government has not yet attributed responsibility for this specific wave of drone strikes, but such incidents have often been linked to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

The incident highlights growing concerns over air defense capabilities and airport security as drone warfare continues to evolve. With Moscow's critical aviation hubs affected and rising regional tensions, the airspace around Russia's capital remains under close watch.

This latest development is expected to intensify scrutiny on both Russia’s military preparedness and its ability to protect key civilian infrastructure from modern aerial threats like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).