--- title: "Moscow Under Attack: November 2 Drone Strike and New Multi-Hour Airport Paralysis" description: "On the evening of November 2, Moscow was targeted by drones: air defense systems reportedly intercepted 46 devices, while all four metropolitan airports imposed flight restrictions. This marks the latest in a series of similar incidents over the past week." date: 2026-11-02T22:55:46.035Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/moscow-drone-attack-airport-paralysis tags: [moscow, drones, airports, air-defense, flight-disruptions] author: "Roman V." publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Moscow Under Attack: November 2 Drone Strike and New Multi-Hour Airport Paralysis ![Airplanes on the runway at an airport amid drone attack threats](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/02/ataka-dronov-na-moskvu-paralich-aeroportov/ataka-dronov-na-moskvu-paralich-aeroportov-1.webp) ## Key Points - On the evening of November 2, 2026, Moscow was attacked by drones; municipal authorities reported that air defenses destroyed 46 UAVs. - Flight restrictions were implemented at all four metropolitan airports, lasting for nearly nine hours. - The disruptions affected hundreds of flights, with between 223 and 400+ departures canceled or delayed depending on the source. - The attack followed a series of raids, including an October 29 incident that disrupted over 460 flights in Moscow and St. Petersburg. ### Chronology of the Attack On the evening of November 2, 2026, unmanned aerial vehicles were directed toward Moscow and the Moscow region, according to Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. Over the course of several hours, the Russian air defense system officially destroyed 46 drones. The capital's mayor published updates on the interception of the devices four times during the evening, noting each time that emergency services were operating at the crash sites. Sobyanin provided no details regarding destruction or casualties. ### Paralysis of Air Traffic In response to the threat, restrictions on incoming and outgoing flights were introduced across all four metropolitan airports: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky. According to Rosaviatsiya, the restrictions were in effect from 10:52 PM and lasted for nearly nine hours, being lifted for Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky only around 6:46 AM; however, flight delays persisted well into the evening. Some aircraft unable to land in Moscow were diverted to alternate airfields, including Pulkovo in St. Petersburg. ### Scale of Disruptions The resulting paralysis of the Moscow aviation hub resulted in, by some estimates, at least 223 canceled and 233 delayed flights—marking one of the largest aviation disruptions in Russia since early October. Various publications cite somewhat differing figures: according to Baza, 149 flights were delayed and five canceled at Sheremetyevo, delays affected 137 departures at Vnukovo, 42 at Domodedovo, while Pulkovo accepted 16 aircraft as an alternate airfield. Channel 24 estimates the number of canceled or delayed flights at Moscow airports to be over 370. ### Context: Not the First Raid of the Week The November 2 attack followed a series of incidents. On the evening of October 29, a massive drone raid disrupted over 460 flights at airports in Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, 1,214 drones were allegedly shot down overnight and morning across 18 regions—which Bloomberg estimates is the highest daily interception figure since the start of the full-scale war, surpassing the previous record of 1,110 devices recorded on September 20. Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo suffered the most. ### Political Background The massive aviation disruption occurred against a tense backdrop surrounding the Russian capital and immediately following the Russia-Africa summit hosted by Vladimir Putin. Recurring drone attacks and the resulting multi-hour airport closures continue to exert pressure on regular passenger air travel and logistics in one of the country's primary transportation hubs. ## Accounts differ ### Number of canceled and delayed flights at Moscow airports (night of October 29–30) - **RБК-Украина (Mayor's office/Rosaviatsiya data):** At least 223 canceled and 233 delayed flights ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ataka-droniv-paralizuvala-vsi-chotiri-aeroporti-1793658866.html)) - **Channel 24:** Over 370 flights canceled or delayed at Moscow airports ([24tv.ua](https://24tv.ua/ru/ataka-dronov-paralizovala-ajeroporty-moskvy-otmeneno-bolee-370-rejsov_n3170590)) - **Korrespondent (citing Baza):** Over 400 flights delayed or canceled across Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Ufa ([korrespondent.net](https://korrespondent.net/world/4924592-massovaia-ataka-dronov-paralyzovala-avyasoobschenye-v-moskve-y-peterburhe)) *Where they agree:* During the night of October 29–30, hundreds of flights were massively canceled and delayed at Moscow airports due to a drone attack, as acknowledged by all sources. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Атака дронов парализовала все четыре аэропорта Москвы, два полностью закрыты](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ataka-droniv-paralizuvala-vsi-chotiri-aeroporti-1793658866.html) - Primary source basis: November 2 attack, 46 drones according to the mayor's office, restrictions at four airports, 223 canceled and 233 delayed flights. Interception figures are based on Sobyanin's statement. - [Массовая атака дронов парализовала авиасообщение в Москве и Петербурге](https://korrespondent.net/world/4924592-massovaia-ataka-dronov-paralyzovala-avyasoobschenye-v-moskve-y-peterburhe) - Confirms the scale of disruptions (400+ flights, Baza airport data, Pulkovo as an alternate airfield). Mentions the Ministry of Defense statement regarding 1,214 downed UAVs and Bloomberg's assessment. - [Более 370 рейсов отменены или задержаны: массированная атака дронов парализовала Москву](https://24tv.ua/ru/ataka-dronov-paralizovala-ajeroporty-moskvy-otmeneno-bolee-370-rejsov_n3170590) - Confirms the 9-hour airport shutdown and flight rerouting; provides a different estimate of over 370 flights, along with reports of 862 UAVs heading toward the Moscow region. - [Атака беспилотников снова парализовала работу трех аэропортов Москвы](https://ru.slovoidilo.ua/2026/10/29/novost/mir/ataka-bespilotnikov-snova-paralizovala-rabotu-trex-aeroportov-moskvy) - Confirms the introduction of restrictions at Moscow airports and the redirection of aircraft (including from Turkey) amid the drone attack. ## FAQ ### How many drones were officially reported shot down over Moscow on November 2? According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, Russian air defense destroyed 46 unmanned aerial vehicles. These figures come from the Russian side, with no independent verification of the interception count. ### Which airports were closed and for how long? Restrictions were imposed at all four capital airports—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky. They were in effect from 10:52 PM for nearly nine hours; Rosaviatsiya lifted them for Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky around 6:46 AM, though delays lasted until evening. ### How many flights were affected? By some estimates, at least 223 flights were canceled and 233 delayed; Channel 24 estimates the number at over 370, while Korrespondent (citing Baza) reports upwards of 400 when including St. Petersburg and Ufa. Exact figures vary across sources.