A series of Ukrainian drone strikes caused widespread disruption in Russia over the weekend, temporarily shutting down Moscow’s major airports and resulting in the cancellation of over 140 flights.
Russia’s defence ministry reported that more than 230 drones were intercepted since Saturday, with 27 of them downed over the capital alone.
Russia’s aviation regulator confirmed that four main airports around Moscow experienced delays, redirections, and temporary closures.
The situation has since returned to normal, but Russia’s Association of Tour Operators stated that air traffic was halted at least 10 times in a single day.
Kaluga International Airport, located southwest of Moscow, was also briefly closed after 45 drones were intercepted in that region.
In other areas, drones were shot down near the Ukrainian border, including in Rostov and Bryansk, as well as over the Black Sea.
No deaths were reported from the drone activity in Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported that at least three civilians were killed in overnight Russian air strikes.
Two people lost their lives in separate attacks across Donetsk, and a 78-year-old woman died after fires broke out in Sumy following a missile strike.
Ukraine’s air force claimed it shot down 18 of 57 Russian drones launched overnight, while seven others crashed after losing radar signals.
Front-line regions in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia also came under fire. Several homes were damaged in Donetsk as a result of the strikes.
The latest developments come amid ongoing talk of possible negotiations.
The Kremlin’s spokesman stated that President Vladimir Putin remains open to a peace agreement but reaffirmed that Russia would continue pursuing its stated goals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, has called for renewed talks and expressed willingness to meet Putin directly.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently pledged new advanced weapons for Ukraine through NATO allies and warned Russia of economic penalties if no peace deal is reached soon.