Moscow airports shut down by Ukrainian drone attacks, disrupting over 200 flights

Russia's aviation agency suspended operations at all four Moscow airports late on October 15 due to Ukrainian drone attacks, disrupting flights. Over 200 flights were delayed or canceled by the morning of October 16. Domodedovo airport was closed for over seven hours, Zhukovsky for nearly 6.5 hours, and Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo for about 5.5 hours. Aeroflot diverted some planes to alternate airports like Nizhny Novgorod, with passengers bused to Moscow. Pulkovo in St. Petersburg received 25 diverted flights but also faced disruptions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported 94 drones shot down. Ukrainian President Zelensky said on September 1 that Russian airspace is becoming fully dangerous. The Atlantic reported that Ukraine's M&Ms operation targeting Russian airports is just the beginning, with plans for AI-equipped drones to bypass air defenses.