The night of October 29, Russia imposed restrictions on arrivals and departures at a number of airports. Attacks by at least seven drones were recorded over the country’s capital, including over Moscow.
According to Rosaviatsiya spokesman Artem Korenyako, the restrictions apply to arrivals and departures at Kaluga Grabtsevo Airport, Gagarin (Saratov), as well as in the cities of Volgograd, Gelendzhik, Penza, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, Samara, Krasnodar, Ulyanovsk, Kazan, and Cheboksary; the data are compiled by regional services.
It was also reported that Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow and Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo were closed, but their operations were later restored; air traffic resumed in Saratov, Samara, and Penza.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin cited data on the first three drones downed over the city, and later reported four more. He assured that there were no casualties, but emergency services are on the scene.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, overnight air defense systems destroyed 57 Ukrainian military-type unmanned aerial vehicles over six regions; the largest number destroyed was in Bryansk Oblast – 35 UAVs.
Consequences and Further Actions
According to residents of the Novospassky District of the Ulyanovsk Region, there could have been an attack on the NS-Oil oil refinery in the settlement; witnesses described explosions and distinctive sounds in the sky around 00:20.
The Russian State Duma on October 28 approved a bill to mobilize reservists to protect critical facilities from drones. It also approved a bill on conscription for the entire year – from January 1 to December 31; starting in 2026, draft boards will operate permanently.
On October 11, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that in September Ukrainian Defense Forces struck 70 facilities in Russia’s fuel and military sectors, including a 21% reduction in oil processing in Russia.
The situation in the country remains tense, and authorities and security agencies continue to act in response to threats from the airspace.