WorldPosted at: Oct 16 2026 10:28PM


Ukrainian drone attacks force closure of Moscow’s 4 primary airports, cancellation of 160 flights

Moscow, Oct 16 (UNI) Ukrainian drone attacks forced all four of Moscow’s main airports to suspend operations overnight, disrupting air travel and leading to the cancellation of more than 160 flights.
Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo airports were closed for periods of up to seven hours. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had shot down 94 drones heading towards the capital.
Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg was also forced to suspend operations twice during the night. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region, said four drones had been destroyed over the area.
According to Russian investigative outlet Agentstvo, Moscow’s four airports were closed for a combined 101 hours during the first 14 days of October, compared with 46 hours over the whole of September.
On Tuesday, Ukraine carried out one of its largest drone operations targeting Moscow, deploying nearly 500 drones, according to reports.
Several reports also said on 9 October that a presidential aircraft carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin was diverted to St Petersburg after being unable to land in Moscow amid a drone attack. The aircraft was not reported to have been directly targeted. Russian officials have neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
Ukraine has not officially confirmed a coordinated campaign to disrupt Russian airport operations, which some media outlets have dubbed “Operation M&Ms”. Reports suggest Zelensky has yet to authorise a more aggressive version of the proposed campaign.
In September, Zelensky warned that Russian airspace was becoming increasingly unsafe, saying drones would appear over Russia and urging international airlines to stop flying to Russian airports.
Kyiv has continued targeting Russian military, energy and commercial infrastructure as it seeks to undermine Moscow’s ability to finance its war against Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
US President Donald Trump has criticised Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries, describing them as “a disgrace” after announcing a deal to purchase Russian diesel.
“There are many targets that can be hit. But when you shell oil refineries that produce, you know, diesel fuel, and we and the whole world need that, (Zelenskyy) is not doing the world a favour,” Trump said in an interview.
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