Ukraine Planned 1,000-Drone Swarm to Paralyze Moscow Airports

Ukraine drafted plans to deploy a swarm of up to 1,000 autonomous drones on Moscow’s airports in an attempt to disrupt air travel and put pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine. The operation, dubbed “M&Ms,” was conceptualized under former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and entailed releasing hundreds of compact, cost-effective drones in Moscow within a single night, according to two sources familiar with the plan.

These self-flying UAVs were equipped with onboard computers containing detailed maps and images of designated targets, enabling them to locate and detonate without direct human intervention. The objective was to overwhelm Russian air defenses, cripple Moscow’s four primary airports—Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky—and potentially halt international flights, including those from Turkish Airlines and Emirates, severing a vital connection between Russia’s political leaders and the global community.

The scheme was discussed with President Volodymyr Zelensky in early 2026; however, concerns about civilian aircraft, passengers, and airport personnel led him to permit preparations to continue despite these worries. Organizers also intended to notify civilian airlines in advance to allow them to avoid Moscow’s airports and evacuate aircraft before the drone swarm arrived.

However, the project was suspended in July following Fedorov’s resignation as defense minister. While the operation’s existence was denied by Zelensky’s office as "complete nonsense," they clarified that Ukraine's aim is to force Moscow to repeatedly activate its emergency protocol, which limits air traffic during security threats, rather than to permanently shut down airports.

Ukrainian authorities acknowledge that they lack the long-range weaponry to target airports precisely without risking civilian lives, yet have previously caused 114 air traffic disruptions to Russian airports between June 28 and July 28 alone. Russian authorities have recorded over 290 similar interruptions across the country during the first quarter of 2026.