Ukrainian Drones Shut Moscow Airports as Putin Flies Home From Turkmenistan
Ukrainian drones forced the closure of Moscow's airports while Russian President Vladimir Putin was flying home from Turkmenistan. Government planes reportedly carrying him and his aides had to circle or divert to another city.
Ukrainian drones caused Moscow's airports to close on 9 October, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his aides were flying home from a trip to Turkmenistan. The episode shows that Ukrainian drone strikes, part of the war between Russia and Ukraine, are disrupting air traffic in the Russian capital, including flights of the country's top officials.
Planes forced to change course
According to The New York Times, government aircraft reported to be carrying Putin and his aides were forced to circle in the air or divert to another city. The source does not say where the planes ultimately landed, how long the airports stayed closed or how many drones were involved.
What remains unclear
The available text does not indicate whether Putin's own aircraft was directly threatened, nor how Russian officials have responded. The location of the planes is described as reported, not as officially confirmed.
