Drone attacks in the first months of 2025 forced Russia to suspend airport operations over 200 times, a record number since the start of the full-scale war, the independent Russian outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on May 14, citing data from the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya).
Ukraine regularly launches drones at military and industrial targets in Russia, though Kyiv rarely comments on attacks within Russian territory.
From January to May 10, 2025, Russian airports shut down a record number of 217 times, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported. In contrast, there were 58 total closures in 2023 and 91 in 2024.
The first week of May saw a particularly high number of closures, with restrictions introduced at airports almost 50 times. In the days leading up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day parade on May 9, waves of drones targeted Moscow, prompting repeated closures.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) claimed on May 7 that Ukraine's intensifying drone strikes affected 60,000 Russian passengers and that delays and cancelations affected at least 350 flights.
According to the analysis, a total of 37 civilian airports have experienced disruptions this year, mostly in central Russia. The highest number of disruptions have occurred at Moscow airports.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russia to accept a complete, unconditional 30-day ceasefire. While Moscow has refused, Russian and Ukrainian delegates are expected to meet in Istanbul on May 15 for their first direct peace talks since the early days of the full-scale invasion.
Kateryna Denisova
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