Russia has closed airports due to UAV attacks a record 217 times since the beginning of the year
From January to May 2025, Russian airports suspended operations at least 217 times due to the threat of drone attacks, Novaya Gazeta Europa reports , citing Rosaviatsia data and media reports.
The publication calculated that on average, airport closures occurred twice a day, which "according to the most conservative estimates" should have resulted in losses for air carriers of about a billion rubles.
The number of cases of application of the "Carpet" plan (the airport does not accept or send aircraft) in less than five months of 2025 exceeds similar cases for the entire years of 2023 (58) and 2024 (91) combined.
In total, from February 2023 to May 2025, the media counted at least 366 cases of closure of Russian airports due to the threat of UAVs
The publication notes that in 2023-24, the skies were closed mainly in Moscow and Kazan. However, in 2025, flights were suspended in most of western Russia, from Saratov and Volgograd to Nizhny Novgorod and Penza.
However, Moscow still leads the list. The "Carpet" plan was introduced 101 times at Moscow airports – at Vnukovo (33 times), Domodedovo (32), Zhukovsky (22) and Sheremetyevo (14).
The next airports with the most flights suspended are Kazan (41), Saratov (25) and Nizhny Kamask (24).
- On the night of May 5 , unknown drones allegedly attempted to attack the Russian capital, Moscow. Plan "Carpet" was introduced at airports.
- On May 6, airports in a number of Russian cities, including Moscow, Samara, Kaluga, Volgograd, and Saratov, were suspended due to a massive drone attack.
