Moscow shuts key airports as air defences down dozens of drones nearing capital

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has announced on his Telegram channel that air defence forces had shot down another drone flying toward the city, prompting temporary flight restrictions at Moscow’s major airports.

“Another drone flying towards Moscow has been destroyed by the Defence Ministry’s air defence forces,” Sobyanin said, per Caliber.Az.

He added that emergency service specialists are working at the site where the debris fell.

Earlier, Sobyanin reported that air defence forces had destroyed 31 drones approaching Moscow.

The drone attacks on the Russian capital began at 23:41 on December 10. Shortly afterwards, at 23:51, Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport restricted flights for safety reasons.

Similar measures are in place at Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports. Dozens of flights were disrupted, and diverted flights from Moscow are being received by Pulkovo Airport.

By Khagan Isayev