Drone shot down near Moscow as authorities impose airport restrictions

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defence systems operated by Russia’s Defence Ministry had intercepted a drone heading toward the capital.

In a post on the MAX platform, Sobyanin stated that the UAV was shot down while approaching Moscow and that emergency services were working at the site where the debris fell.

The mayor noted that he had last reported drone attacks on the Russian capital the previous day, when a total of 21 drones attempted to strike Moscow on December 15.

Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, announced the introduction of temporary restrictions at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. According to the agency, the airport is currently handling arrivals and departures only with approval from the relevant authorities, and passengers have been warned of possible changes to flight schedules.

Rosaviatsiya said the measures were taken to ensure flight safety. In addition to Sheremetyevo, overnight restrictions were also imposed at the airports in Yaroslavl and Kaluga, which are currently not accepting or dispatching aircraft.

By Tamilla Hasanova