Moscow says drones downed, three airports restricted overnight
Politics
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
- Updated Oct 28, 2026 19:44
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences shot down drones approaching the Russian capital on Wednesday night, his tally reaching 96 in successive updates, and Russia's aviation authority restricted flights at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.
Why it matters: A mass drone raid on the capital, if the scale claimed is borne out, is the kind of attack that has repeatedly closed Moscow's airports this month, and two flights from Turkey turned back, but the numbers rest on Russian official claims that Ukraine has not confirmed.
Data as of Ukrainska Pravda report of October 29, 2026 (in Ukrainian), read in full in this run, citing Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, TASS and the Astra channel; Interfax and RIA Novosti items (in Russian) from the same night carried the rising tally and the airport restrictions. All drone counts are Russian official claims reported by both Russian and Ukrainian outlets; Ukraine has not confirmed the attack and no independent verification was available at this update, so this item ships at grade C. Developing item.
Moscow came under a drone attack on Wednesday night, according to the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, whose successive updates put the number of drones shot down on approach to the capital at 96 in total, 72 in his first tally and a further 24 later. Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, restricted arrivals and departures at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports; the Zhukovsky restrictions were lifted after about an hour, while the other two airports were handling flights only by prior coordination, and two aircraft flying from Turkey to Moscow turned back.
The claims are Moscow’s own, carried by Russian state wires and reported by Ukrainska Pravda, and Ukraine has not confirmed launching the attack. The Telegram channel Astra reported explosions heard near Naro-Fominsk, southwest of the capital, and Moscow region authorities had issued a drone danger warning at about 10 p.m. local time.
Sources
- Moscow says there was a drone attack - Ukrainska Pravda, in Ukrainian - 2026-10-29
- Up to 25 drones shot down heading for the capital - Interfax, in Russian - 2026-10-28
- Restrictions introduced at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports - RIA Novosti, in Russian - 2026-10-29