Ukrainian drones hit Russian regions, forcing temporary airport closures

A series of overnight drone attacks targeted multiple areas in Russia, with Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) striking or attempting to strike several municipalities across the southwest, leading to temporary airport closures in many affected areas.

The most extensive incident occurred in the Rostov region, where authorities reported that seven districts were hit, with Governor Yuri Slyusar writing on Telegram that Chertkovsky, Oktyabrsky rural district, Sholokhovsky, Millerovsky, and Dubovsky districts, as well as the cities of Shakhty and Taganrog, came under attack, Caliber.Az reports.

Although no casualties were reported, property damage was recorded, including shattered windows and damaged vehicles in Shakhty, and destruction to private homes in Taganrog.

The wave of drone activity extended to the neighbouring Voronezh region, where regional head Alexander Gusev confirmed that air-defence units shot down two Ukrainian UAVs. 

The drones were detected over one of the region’s urban districts and another rural area. Falling debris caused damage to the roof of a residential building in one municipality and broke the glass facade of a gas station in another. No injuries were reported.

In Moscow, the capital also reported attempted strikes. Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that air-defence systems intercepted two drones approaching the city, with emergency teams dispatched to the areas where fragments fell. 

The mayor did not specify the exact locations of the impacts, nor did he detail any consequences of the incident, noting only that his updates were published 14 minutes apart. Despite the attempted attacks, operations at Moscow’s airports continued without interruption.

Further south and west, the effects of the broader drone threat reverberated across Russia’s aviation sector. Eight airports, including those in Volgograd, Saratov, Penza, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Gelendzhik, Krasnodar, and Sochi, temporarily suspended operations overnight as a precautionary measure.

Rosaviatsia reported that Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport also briefly introduced restrictions on arrivals and departures, though normal operations resumed just 16 minutes later.

By Jeyhun Aghazada