Local officials in Moscow reported that nearly 60 unmanned aerial vehicles heading for the city were shot down during the early hours of Monday. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin posted the figure on Telegram, saying emergency services were sent to locations where the drones came down. No further operational details were provided by the mayor.
Flight operations at the capital’s main airports were affected. Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo, together with Zhukovskiy outside Moscow, temporarily suspended flights, the national aviation watchdog said. Those suspensions were later lifted and flights resumed, according to the same source.
The latest interception of nearly 60 drones comes shortly after another assault on the capital’s infrastructure last week. In that earlier incident, which targeted Moscow’s sole oil refinery, the city’s defence systems intercepted nearly 200 drones. Authorities characterised that offensive as one of the largest air attacks on the city since the 2022 escalation, and it prompted heightened defensive activity in the area.
Meanwhile, in Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean Peninsula, local authorities announced additional public-safety and conservation measures. City governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram that all open-air public events scheduled for Monday were cancelled and that street lighting would remain switched off. He urged residents to reduce electricity consumption.
Crimea’s regional authorities also imposed strict limits on fuel availability. Sales of fuel to private citizens and businesses have been suspended, with the remaining supplies restricted to government agencies tasked with essential services and security. Officials attributed the measures to a developing fuel crisis linked to drone attacks on supply routes and energy facilities elsewhere in the region.
Authorities’ statements provided the primary details of both the Moscow interceptions and the measures in Crimea. Beyond the announcements cited, officials did not offer additional specifics on damages, casualties, or the precise locations where the drones were downed.
Context and immediate developments
The incidents left airports temporarily grounded before service resumed, and prompted local authorities in Crimea to curtail public services and fuel sales amid concerns over supply disruptions. Emergency services were reported to be active in areas where drones were intercepted, according to the mayor’s Telegram post.