On 9 October 2026, due to the threat of air strikes, the arrival and departure of flights were temporarily suspended at all four airports in the Russian capital \u2014 Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky. According to Russian media reports, more than 370 flights were delayed over the course of the day, whilst at least 62 more were cancelled. Some of the aircraft were diverted to alternative airports. At the same time, reports emerged on Russian Telegram channels of explosions, air defence activity and balloons carrying objects over Moscow. Amid the restrictions, reports circulated about possible difficulties regarding Vladimir Putin\u2019s return from Turkmenistan.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n Between 8 and 9 October, the Russian aviation authorities repeatedly imposed restrictions on the arrival and departure of aircraft at Moscow\u2019s air hub. On Thursday night, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were unable to operate as normal for almost seven hours. The restrictions were lifted in the morning, but disruption to flight schedules persisted.<\/p>\n On the afternoon of 9 October, the situation deteriorated once again. Rosaviatsiya has announced restrictions at all four airports<\/strong>, including Sheremetyevo. The Russian authority explained that the decision was taken to ensure flight safety.<\/p>\n Due to the closure of airspace, aircraft already en route to Moscow were forced to change course or wait for landing clearance. Some flights were diverted to St Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Minsk. The restrictions affected not only domestic but also international flights.<\/p>\n According to the publication *Delovoy Peterburg*, St Petersburg\u2019s Pulkovo Airport received nine international flights that were originally bound for Moscow. Passengers on some of these flights were forced to leave the aircraft due to the lengthy wait for flights to resume.<\/p>\n According to information from the Russian Telegram channel Baza, which was also reported by the UNN and APA news agencies, over the past 24 hours the three largest Moscow\u2019s airports recorded at least 373 delayed flights and 62 cancelled flights<\/strong>. The statistics cover Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo. Data for Zhukovsky are not included in this tally.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Due to the restrictions, passengers faced long waits in the terminals, and airlines were forced to reschedule their flights. Some international flights even returned to their airports of departure. In particular, flights from Turkey that were due to land at Vnukovo were unable to complete their planned routes.<\/p>\n In the afternoon of 9 October, Russian monitoring channels reported a new wave of aerial threats. According to their reports, the skies above Moscow and the Moscow Region may have been home not only to drones but also to small balloons carrying suspended objects.<\/p>\n Reports of explosions and air defence activity were coming in from the southern and south-eastern districts of the Russian capital. In particular, Kapotnya, Kuzminki, Lyublino, Maryino, Tsaritsyno, Chertanovo, Orekhovo-Borisovo and other districts were mentioned.<\/p>\n Videos featuring the sounds of explosions and footage of what appeared to be air defence systems in action were shared on social media. However, this footage alone does not allow for a reliable identification of the type of each aerial object.<\/p>\n Against the backdrop of widespread restrictions at Moscow\u2019s airports, Russian Telegram channels have begun reporting on potential problems with returning home Vladimir Putin<\/strong> following a visit abroad.<\/p>\n On 8 October, the President of the Russian Federation arrived in Turkmenistan, where he took part in the CIS Heads of State Summit and the Caspian Environmental Summit. His itinerary also included talks with the Turkmen leadership and representatives of other countries.<\/p>\n On 9 October at 13:56 Moscow time, the agency \u00abInterfax\u00bb reported that Putin had concluded his working visit to Turkmenistan and boarded a plane belonging to the \u00abRussia\u00bb special flight squadron at Turkmenbashi Airport. Around the same time, flight restrictions were reimposed at Moscow\u2019s air traffic hub. A claim circulated on Telegram that four aircraft from the special flight squadron were in a holding pattern near Moscow. However, there is no confirmation that the aircraft carrying Putin was among them, or that it was denied landing permission.<\/p>\n\n
Moscow\u2019s airports have suspended operations due to an air threat<\/h2>\n
Over 370 flights delayed: what is known about the consequences<\/h2>\n
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\n Airport<\/th>\n Detained<\/th>\n Cancelled<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vnukovo<\/td>\n 158<\/td>\n 38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Sheremetyevo<\/td>\n 157<\/td>\n 11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Domodedovo<\/td>\n 58<\/td>\n 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n In total<\/td>\n 373<\/td>\n 62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Reports of balloons and explosions over Moscow<\/h2>\n
Putin\u2019s plane cannot land in Moscow: this has been confirmed<\/h2>\n
How does the air threat affect air travel in Russia?<\/h2>\n