Moscow shuts down all 4 airports during Ukrainian drone attack, Russian officials say
Editor's Note: This is a developing story.
Dozens of Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow on Feb. 22, triggering closures at all four of the region's airports, according to Russian officials.
Twenty drones have been shot down en route to Moscow, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed. The drones targeted the capital over the course of four hours on the afternoon and evening of Feb. 22. Emergency crews have been dispatched to the crash sites, and no casualties or damage have been reported.
Flights were temporarily suspended at Moscow's Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky airports, according to Rosaviatsiya, Russia's federal aviation agency.
The Russian Defense Ministry also reported that 29 drones were shot down over Bryansk Oblast, and several other drones were intercepted in Kaluga, Belgorod, Tula, Kursk, and Tver oblasts.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims at the time of publication.
Ukraine regularly launches drone attacks against military and industrial facilities in Russia.
Drone attacks on Moscow have been recorded on several instances and often brought about temporary airport closures. While the capital is well-defended against aerial threats, Ukrainian officials have said that disrupting aviation operations is a strategic way of bringing the Kremlin's war home to the Russian population.
