Pulkovo Airport restricts flights after Moscow drone attack

Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg has temporarily restricted the arrival and departure of flights, according to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, which cited the need to ensure flight safety. The restriction was announced on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Earlier that morning, around 07:00, all four Moscow airports also suspended operations due to an attack by Ukrainian drones, with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reporting the destruction of drones on the city's approaches. Over a hundred flights were delayed at Moscow airports as a result of these security measures. On October 17, Deputy Transport Minister Vladimir Poteshkin held an operational headquarters meeting at Sheremetyevo to oversee passenger services during delays and cancellations, organize SMS notifications about flight status changes, and assess the equipment and capacity of alternate airfields. Pulkovo had previously accepted several dozen flights that were diverted from Moscow.