A major Ukrainian drone strike late Tuesday into Wednesday forced the temporary suspension of flights at three of Moscow’s four airports: Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky, according to civil aviation authorities.
The disruptions followed the Russian Defense Ministry’s report of shooting down nearly 300 Ukrainian drones overnight across 12 regions, including Moscow.
Explosions in Moscow Region 👀💥
Vnukovo Airport Closed ✈️🚫 pic.twitter.com/jyydV3iVsH
— MAKS 25 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) May 28, 2025
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at least 33 drones were downed as they approached the capital, while authorities in the surrounding Moscow region reported intercepting 42 drones, with damage to three homes.
According to Russian media, among the targets were the city of Zelenograd, known as Russia’s “Silicon Valley.”
Ukrainian officials said they aimed for the ELMA Technopark and the Dubna Machine-Building Plant, which builds electronics, lasers, and software. Andriy Kovalenko, who leads Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, said ELMA is key to Russia’s push to replace Western-made parts.
Russian authorities said there were “no serious damages or injuries as a result of enemy drones being repelled in Zelenograd,” noting that emergency services had immediately responded to the scene.
Meanwhile, Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Army’s Southern Division, remarked the recent surge in flight disruptions in Moscow reflects a strategic shift in Ukraine’s drone campaign aimed at weakening Russia.
“Moscow is the biggest aviation hub in the Russian Federation — flights go everywhere, not only across Russia, but worldwide,” he told the Kyiv Independent. “This is about the potential disintegration of Russian regions and the weakening of internal control.”
The recent flight disruptions came after three of Moscow’s four airports temporarily suspended operations last Wednesday due to a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian capital. Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports stopped all inbound and outbound flights, while Sheremetyevo suspended arrivals but permitted some departures on a case-by-case basis.
Over the past week, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down more than 2,300 Ukrainian drones. On Monday, Ukraine reported the largest Russian aerial assault in recent days, involving 355 attack drones. The attack caused injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
