Moscow area air hubs, including Zhukovsky, reported normal operations. This update came through the Rosaviatsia Telegram channel, noting that as of 08:30 Moscow time on August 17, 2023, both Moscow airports and Zhukovsky were functioning normally.
Later, the Federal Air Transport Agency clarified that a temporary reduction of arrivals and departures at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports occurred in the early hours to safeguard civil aviation activities. It was stated that one aircraft diverted to an alternate airport while the other routes remained under standard monitoring.
During the window of restricted operations, air traffic controllers and ground-handling teams implemented precautionary measures to maintain flight safety and orderly flow at the terminals.
Initial reports indicated that as many as 31 flights might be affected, with some operations detaining at three major Moscow hubs: Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Sheremetyevo.
Since then, delays and cancellations have become more common at airports serving Moscow and surrounding districts, a trend linked to recent attempts to disrupt air travel using unmanned aerial systems.
On the night of September 17, the “Carpet” plan was announced at Vnukovo, the capital’s key western gateway. In addition, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo reported that 19 flights experienced delays while three services were canceled.
Earlier updates also noted an uptick in bird strikes, a factor that has historically contributed to aviation incidents in several regions and is monitored by airport operations teams and aviation authorities. [Source: Rosaviatsia]