Russian airports suspend flights overnight as Ukrainian drones trigger widespread delays

Starting on the evening of October 15, Russian civil aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions at the four main Moscow airports—Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky—due to incoming drone threats, keeping the ban in place until the early hours of October 16. The shutdown resulted in roughly 160 delayed or cancelled flights, with Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo experiencing the highest numbers, 66 and 79 respectively.

Simultaneously, St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport ceased operations until 9 a.m., cancelling or delaying 46 flights in total. Moscow’s mayor reported that air defense forces intercepted 94 Ukrainian drones aimed at the capital, while the Leningrad region governor confirmed four drones were shot down over the area. The incidents reflect an intensifying pattern of drone activity targeting Russian airspace, which has already forced airport closures for a cumulative 101 hours in the first half of October.