All four Moscow airports shut down, one declares air raid alert and begins evacuating passengers

All four Moscow airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky – were shut down for both incoming and outgoing flights according to Rosaviatsia. Sheremetyevo took the additional step of declaring an air raid alert, instructing passengers to seek refuge in nearby safe zones and shelters. Domodedovo reported that flight schedules had been modified due to temporary restrictions, while Vnukovo cited security concerns as the reason for its closure.

Passengers were warned to brace for significant delays, including potential long waits on board their aircraft.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that at least 11 drones had been shot down as they approached the city in the past few hours. In a September 1 statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had cautioned airlines about the growing safety threats in Russian airspace, warning that drones would appear in ways that would require a measured response.

While he affirmed that Ukraine did not intend to threaten civil aviation, Zelensky explained that due to Ukrainian drone attacks, "Russian airspace will de facto be closing."

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Zelensky's comments as a "declaration of terrorism" and vowed that if such incidents occurred again, "we will find a way to respond." Moscow's airports have been intermittently closed over the past two months because of the persistent danger posed by Ukrainian drone attacks. These closures have repeatedly led to flight delays and, in some instances, created chaotic situations at the airports.