9 October 2026
All four Moscow-area airports—Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky—have imposed temporary flight restrictions following attacks by drones and small balloons. The restrictions came into effect at approximately 3:40 PM local time, according to Rosaviatsiya. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the destruction of 15 drones approaching the capital.
According to Astra , residents of Moscow’s southern districts reported air defense activity and explosions. Such reports came from Kapotnya, Kuzminki, Lyublino, Maryino, Tsaritsyn, Chertanovo, Orekhovo-Borisovo, Tekstilshchiki, and Nagatinsky Zaton.
According to FlightRadar24, Vnukovo was hit the hardest by the disruptions: more than 40% of flights were delayed, with an average delay of 102 minutes, and another 10% of flights were cancelled.
Also on the afternoon of October 9, small reconnaissance balloons launched from Ukrainian territory were shot down over the Yaroslavl region, the regional Ministry of Regional Security reported. “Efforts to destroy such objects are ongoing. We ask residents of the region to remain calm, not to spread unverified information, and to rely on official sources,” the ministry stated.
Airports in the Moscow region also faced restrictions on the night of October 9. Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky were closed due to the threat of drone attacks. The flight ban was lifted by 7:00 a.m., but Zhukovsky suspended operations twice more after that. In total, more than 150 flights were delayed overnight.