Moscow Airport Shut Down After Drone Strikes Runway

A barrage of drones at numerous Russian regions saw flights suspended in Moscow, with fragments of one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) found on the runway of one of the capital's airports in the latest attack blamed on Ukraine.

The Astra Telegram channel posted video on Monday of passengers on the tarmac of Zhukovsky Airport, which is around 20 miles south of the center of the Russian capital and was closed to incoming and outgoing flights.

Flights were also halted at Moscow's Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports with video posted on social media channels showing drones flying through the sky at dawn.

Russian authorities said that air defenses had downed some 144 across nine Russian regions in attacks that set residential buildings alight, killed a woman and caused disruption to flights.

Ukraine's domestic drone industry has been growing rapidly and faced by continuous drone and missile bombardment launched by Moscow, has increased its drone attacks on Russian energy, military and transport sites for which Kyiv does not claim immediate responsibility.

Monday's drone attacks are one of the biggest on Russian territory since the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion, prompting the country's Russia's investigative committee has opened up a criminal case, accusing Ukraine of terrorist acts, state agency Tass reported.

When contacted for comment, the Ukrainian defense ministry told Newsweek: "We do not comment on what is happening on the territory of Russia."

Tass reported that air defense systems intercepted drones over the Kursk, Tula, Belgorod, Kaluga, Voronezh, Lipetsk and Oryol regions. Russia's SHOT and Baza Telegram channels, which are linked to Russia's security services, posted videos which showed flames coming out from a multi-story apartment block.

At least two high-rise apartment buildings in Moscow's Ramenskoye district were damaged in the strikes which set several apartments on fire, Moscow's governor Andrei Vorobyov posted on Telegram.

He said a 46-year-old woman died, three people were injured and 43 people were evacuated. Video from residents in Bryansk showed the aftermath of the attacks, although officials said there was no damage or casualties.

Former Ukrainian minister of economic development and trade Tymofiy Mylovanov posted on X next to video of the drone attacks that Russian official media are no longer downplaying them and that "they can't ignore them anymore."

He said that it appeared to be part of a larger campaign akin to the strikes against Russia's Black Sea Fleet, "only this time, airports are the focus of asymmetric warfare."

"Just like in Kursk, the war has now reached Russian soil, publicly challenging the illusion that Putin has everything under control," he wrote.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.