RUSSIA – Airspace over Moscow was temporarily closed and Russian air defences activated after a drone attack in the Russian capital earlier this morning. One building in central Moscow was struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Flight traffic was suspended at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) during the incident, with some inbound flights required to hold or initiate diversions.
The building targeted by the drone was a high rise building in the ‘Moscow City’ complex which houses several government ministries. It is understood that the tower building houses the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Communications.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that 2 drones were suppressed by electronic countermeasures and crashed on the Moscow City building complex.
Another unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, was reportedly destroyed by air to air systems in the airspace over Moscow’s Odintsovo region, according to the Ministry of Defense. There have been no reports of any injuries arising from the attack.
Moscow airspace was temporarily closed during the drone attacks. During the aerial incidents, inbound commercial flights into Vnukovo International Airport were required to initiate holding procedures.
Inbound and outbound flights were suspended from VKO, and some flights were diverted to other airports. The airspace closure was fairly brief, and Vnukovo International Airport has subsequently resumed flight operations.
