Russia’s Sheremetyevo Airport increases security measures arming patrol units

Additional security measures have been implemented at Sheremetyevo Airport in Russia’s capital Moscow.

The airport security personnel are now armed, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

"To enhance security measures and increase the airport's counterterrorism protection, patrol units of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise 'Security Department of the Russian Transport Ministry', conducting round-the-clock perimeter patrols, are now equipped with automatic combat handguns," the statement reads.

Security personnel at Sheremetyevo’s rapid response teams and guard posts, which secure areas outside the controlled zone of the airport, have also been provided with service weapons.

During the peak New Year travel period, departing passengers are advised to arrive at the airport in advance and strictly adhere to all required measures and rules when passing through security checkpoints.

Sheremetyevo Airport strongly urges passengers to:

Avoid bringing prohibited items or objects resembling weapons and ammunition on board (including replicas, lighters, and perfume in the shape of hand grenades);

Exercise understanding, attention, and vigilance – and provide full cooperation with airport staff during security and pre-flight procedures.

On December 21, a scuffle broke out at Sheremetyevo Airport among tourists, who had been waiting for over a day for their flight to Sharm El-Sheikh, other passengers, and law enforcement officers. The incident was captured on video by a bystander. The footage shows police and airport security officers separating the men involved. One man was held down on the floor by several officers, while voices from the crowd could be heard defending him, calling for his release: "Otherwise, we won’t leave here at all."

Around 200 people had gathered near the boarding gate. A total of 218 passengers were registered for the flight.

The flight was originally scheduled to depart on December 20. A flight from Sharm El-Sheikh was also delayed, with Russian passengers stranded for over a day due to a mechanical failure of an aircraft operated by the Egyptian airline AlMasria, which was supposed to conduct both the outbound flight from Moscow and the return flight to Russia. Both flights were completed on December 22.

By Naila Huseynova