On the afternoon of 23 October, Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports temporarily suspended operations due to a reported threat of drone attacks, according to *Nastoyashchee Vremya*.
Rosaviatsiya stated that additional staff had been called in to assist passengers. Airport services are operating on a heightened alert, whilst airlines are adjusting their timetables.
An air raid alert was issued at Sheremetyevo, and passengers were asked to proceed to the nearest safe areas and shelters.
“Sheremetyevo Airport services are helping passengers move to safe areas and keeping them informed about the current situation,” the airport’s press office said.
As a rule, airports merely suspend the arrival and departure of flights without evacuating passengers.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that 17 drones flying towards the Russian capital had been shot down. Residents of Moscow’s western districts reported hearing the sounds of explosions, according to several Telegram channels.
In October, Moscow’s airports had already suspended operations on several occasions for a few hours due to the threat of attacks by Ukrainian drones. This usually took place at night. Dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of flights were delayed or cancelled. However, there were no reports of the airports themselves being hit.