Monday, November 11, 2024 On Sunday, Ukraine carried out its most extensive drone strike on Moscow since the start of the war in 2022, deploying at least 34 drones aimed at the Russian capital. This unprecedented wave of attacks forced the temporary shutdown of three major Moscow airports—Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo—marking the largest disruption to air traffic since the conflict began. The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency announced, “In order to ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights, temporary restrictions have been introduced for the operation of Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports starting from 08:03 Moscow time, November 10.
The airports are temporarily not accepting or sending flights.” Sheremetyevo International Airport was subsequently shut down, further intensifying the impact of the drone assault on Moscow’s airspace. Russian air defenses intercepted another 50 drones over other regions of Western Russia, underscoring the growing reliance on drone technology by both countries.
Ukrainian sources reported a counterattack on Russian infrastructure, including an arsenal in the Bryansk region, where 14 drones were reportedly downed by Russian forces. Moscow’s “Umbrella” Defenses and Rising Drone Warfare To counter these intensified drone attacks, Moscow has fortified its air defenses, creating an intricate “umbrella” of electronic and physical protections over strategic sites. This network is designed to intercept drones before they.