All Four Moscow Airports Shut Down as Ukrainian Drones Rock Russia Overnight

Ukrainian drones targeted several regions of Russia overnight on October 16, including Moscow, the Moscow region, Vladimir, and the Rostov region, triggering explosions, fires, and temporary disruptions at all four major airports serving the Russian capital.

According to the monitoring channel Exilenova+, a series of explosions was reported in the Moscow region, where local residents also reported a fire following the attacks.

Amid the drone activity, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsiya, temporarily suspended operations at all four Moscow airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo. More than 20 aircraft were diverted to alternative airports.

Accordong to Astra, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that Russian air defenses intercepted 94 Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital between 11 p.m. on October 15 and 8 a.m. on October 16.

The overnight attacks also extended to Vladimir, where residents reported multiple explosions. Reports circulating on social media suggested that a data center operated by Russian technology company Yandex may have been targeted again. However, there was no confirmation that the facility had been struck.

Meanwhile, in Russia’s Rostov region, Governor Yury Slyusar confirmed that falling drone debris damaged production and warehouse facilities, sparking a fire. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene.

Slyusar also reported that a man was injured in the Aksay district during the attack and was receiving medical assistance. According to the governor, the Aksay and Chertkovo districts, as well as the city of Bataysk, were among the areas affected by the overnight drone activity.

The strikes on Russian territory followed an intensified wave of Russian drone attacks against Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reporting that Moscow had launched more than 850 Shahed-type drones between the beginning of October 14 and 9 a.m. on October 15.

In an October 15 statement, Zelenskyy said Russian drones had entered Ukrainian airspace in successive waves, maintaining an almost uninterrupted aerial threat throughout the reporting period.

“The drones kept coming in waves, and there was not a single hour when our skies were clear of them. From midnight yesterday through 9 a.m. today, there had already been more than 850 ‘shaheds.’ We managed to shoot down some of the ‘shaheds.’ But unfortunately, there were also dozens of hits,” he said.

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