Despite security risks, Russia to reopen Gelendzhik Airport in drone-struck Krasnodar Krai
Russia will reopen Gelendzhik Airport in the country's Krasnodar Krai for domestic flights on July 18, in a rare easing of airspace restrictons imposed at the start of the full-scale war, the Transport Ministry announced on July 9.
The decision comes just days after nearly 500 flights were grounded across major Russian airports on July 5–7, due to security threats from Ukrainian drone attacks.
Located just 130 kilometers (80.78 miles) from occupied Crimea, the airport had been shuttered since February 2022, along with 10 other southern airports. After Elista Airport reopened in May, it will become only the second in the region to resume operations.
Kyiv has not officially taken responsibility for the disruptions in Russian air traffic, but Ukrainian officials have said that drone operations aim to disrupt logistics and bring the consequences of the war closer to the Russian population.
Russia's Transport Ministry said aviation safety at Gelendzhik had been confirmed by the federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya and the State Corporation for Air Traffic Management.
Krasnodar Krai is located along the Black Sea and borders Georgia and the occupied territories of Ukraine. In recent months, Krasnodar Krai has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drone attacks, with strikes reported against infrastructure such as oil depots and airfields.
The reopening follows mounting pressure on Moscow's transport sector. On July 7, President Vladimir Putin dismissed Transport Minister Roman Starovoit in the wake of the airport shutdowns and a separate ammonia leak at the Ust-Luga port. Hours later, Russian state media reported that Starovoit had died by suicide.
