The key facts

  • Pulkovo received 27 flights bound for Moscow as an alternate airport
  • Passengers on diverted flights will be disembarked in the terminal due to the long wait
  • The restrictions were imposed amid a massive drone attack: according to the Defense Ministry, 1,214 drones were shot down

Diverted flights

Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg received 27 aircraft bound for Moscow overnight into October 30, serving as an alternate airfield. This was announced in the airport's channel on the Max messenger. The reason was temporary airspace restrictions imposed at the Moscow aviation hub to ensure flight safety.

What this means for passengers

Due to the lengthy wait for departure, passengers on diverted flights will be disembarked in the Pulkovo terminal, the airport's press service reported. In practical terms, this means passengers will have to leave the aircraft and await further decisions on their departure at the arrival airport rather than on board the plane.

Context: drone attack

The restrictions coincided with one of the largest drone attacks on Russian regions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that from the evening of October 29, 862 unmanned aerial vehicles were heading toward the Moscow region; according to him, most were destroyed at distant approaches, and 170 were downed on approach to Moscow. The Russian Ministry of Defense, according to Gazeta.Ru, stated that overnight into October 29, air defense systems shot down a total of 1,214 drones; the attack was attributed to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Earlier, Russia also unveiled an anti-drone system for protecting industrial facilities.