The work of Russia’s Moscow and St. Petersburg airports was suspended on June 5 as authorities imposed temporary restriction over a threat of Ukrainian drone attack. The decision came after Russia pounded Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight.
Flight operations at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport were halted for several hours, causing delays to more than 20 flights. In St. Petersburg, approximately 50 flights were delayed and over 20 were canceled at Pulkovo Airport. Some travelers reported waiting over ten hours due to these disruptions. Officials stated that drones were shot down over both Moscow and St. Petersburg but provided no additional information. Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed that Pulkovo Airport’s operations were temporarily suspended after two Ukrainian drones were intercepted south of St. Petersburg. The incidents followed a series of Ukrainian drone strikes overnight targeting six Russian regions. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had intercepted 42 drones, primarily over the Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk regions, within three hours. Ukraine has not responded to these claims. Ukrainian drone attacks have increasingly affected civilian air traffic in Russia, with at least 217 temporary airport closures recorded from January through May due to drone threats.
Meanwhile, General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on Saturday it struck Borisoglebsk air base in Russia Voronezh region, which is home base of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. The General Staff said it targeted a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and “possibly other aircraft.”
