Multiple Ukrainian drone strikes have forced the repeated closure of Moscow’s main airports, grounding dozens of flights and exposing deepening vulnerabilities in Russia’s air defences. Over the weekend, Russia’s defence ministry said more than 230 Ukrainian drones had been downed since Saturday morning, including 27 over the capital.
The onslaught prompted all four of Moscow’s major airports to suspend operations multiple times, with more than 140 flights cancelled and over 130 redirected, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog. Russia’s Association of Tour Operators (Ator) said Moscow’s airports were shut down 10 times in 24 hours, causing widespread travel disruption. Normal operations have since resumed, but the closures have added to growing pressure on Russia’s domestic infrastructure.
Anton Geraschenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian interior ministry, shared a clip of a member of staff dealing with an irate customer.
He commented: “Chaos at Moscow’s airports again: mass flight cancellations and delays have started due to the threat of drone attacks.
“The video shows the situation inside the airports – flights are cancelled, passengers are waiting. At Sheremetyevo, passengers are waiting for their flights for 10-12 hours, with many sleeping right on the floor. The same is happening at Pulkovo airport.”
Meanwhile, Kyiv came under heavy bombardment overnight into Monday, in what officials described as the worst aerial assault on the capital in months.
At least one person was killed and six others injured as explosions rocked the city throughout the early hours. Fires broke out across several districts, damaging residential buildings, kiosks, a daycare centre, and even the entrance to a metro station.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported extensive damage across multiple neighbourhoods, including in the Shevchenkivskyi and Dniprovskyi districts. He said: “A children’s daycare caught fire during the attack. Fortunately, there were no casualties at that location.”
He added: “Outdoor kiosks are burning in the Dniprovskyi district. There is also damage to the entrance of the Lukianivska metro station.”
Mr Klitschko added that a second person had been injured in a residential building fire, while Kyiv police said the total number of injured had risen to six by morning, including a teenager.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said: “In the Darnytskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a non-residential building as a result of an attack.”
He later confirmed: “Unfortunately, we have information about one person killed as a result of the attack.”
Sirens sounded across Ukraine throughout the night, with the country’s air force issuing repeated warnings about Russian missiles and drones. The western city of Ivano-Frankivsk was also targeted.
Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv said: “Infrastructure was damaged in three villages. There are reports of injuries in one of them.”
He added: “This is the largest attack since the full-scale invasion.”
Despite President Volodymyr Zelensky’s renewed offer of peace talks, Russia’s missile and drone assaults have intensified in recent weeks.
Mr Zelensky said Kyiv had proposed a new round of negotiations with Moscow to be held in Turkey next week.
He said: “Dialogue with the Russian side on prisoner exchanges is ongoing — we are continuing to implement the agreements reached during the earlier meeting in Istanbul.”
In Russia, drone attacks continued beyond the capital. Kaluga International Airport was briefly closed after drones were intercepted, and further strikes were reported in Bryansk, Rostov, and over the Black Sea.
The latest wave follows a similar incident in May, when Ukraine launched more than 500 drones in a day, paralysing Russian air traffic and stranding tens of thousands of passengers.