In a dramatic turn of events, Moscow’s airports were forced to cease operations due to a sustained drone assault from Ukraine, canceling at least 140 flights and prompting the redirection of over 130 others. The Russian defense ministry reported shooting down more than 230 Ukrainian drones since Saturday, with 27 intercepted directly over Moscow. Despite the disturbances, normal operations have since resumed.
This is not the first episode of drone-related travel chaos in the region; back in May, a similar incident left 60,000 passengers stranded after Ukraine deployed over 500 drones in one day. The drone situation resulted in multiple airport closures, including Kaluga International Airport.
Reports from Ukraine indicated that Russian airstrikes overnight resulted in at least three fatalities, alongside damage in various regions including Donetsk and Sumy, where residential buildings burned. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces claimed to have downed 18 out of 57 Russian drones in the same time frame.
In response to the escalating situation, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that President Putin remains open to pursuing a peaceful settlement with Ukraine, although achieving this goal would require significant effort. Ukrainian President Zelensky has recently called for renewed talks with Moscow, expressing readiness for a face-to-face meeting to facilitate dialogue.
The conflict, which has lasted nearly three and a half years, has seen intermittent negotiations, primarily revolving around prisoner swaps instead of a lasting ceasefire. Recently, former US President Trump pledged significant military support to Ukraine, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the conflict.
