On the evening of June 5, Aeroflot passenger flight SU1132, traveling from Moscow to Sochi, was forced to make two emergency landings. The cause was temporary flight restrictions imposed at the destination and transit airports due to the threat of a drone attack.
First landing: Astrakhan
The flight departed from Moscow around 18:00. By 21:00, as the aircraft approached Sochi, temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of aircraft were introduced in the region. This occurred against the backdrop of reports of a drone attack threat. As a result, the aircraft landed at Astrakhan airport.
Second attempt and new landing: Mineralnye Vody
After a short delay, the crew attempted to continue the flight to Sochi. However, at 23:00, flight restrictions were reintroduced in the Krasnodar Krai. The aircraft was forced to make a second landing — this time at Mineralnye Vody airport.
Passengers wait until morning
According to passengers, the third takeoff may be delayed until morning. A decision to resume the flight is expected to be made after the restrictions are lifted and the safety of the airspace is confirmed.
Context: series of drone attacks in Russia
The events of June 5 were a continuation of a series of incidents involving drones on the territory of the Russian Federation. On the night of June 3, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported attempts of drone attacks on the capital, which, according to him, were repelled by air defense systems. In the early hours of the same day, drones attacked an oil terminal in the port of St. Petersburg, leading to a large-scale fire.
Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck ships and infrastructure facilities in the port of Kronstadt in the Leningrad region. These actions increased tension in the airspace of Russia and led to frequent flight restrictions in several regions.
Flight SU1132 became one of the latest examples of how military actions affect civil aviation. Passengers planning to reach the resort city of Sochi found themselves in an unexpected situation — stranded in transit between two cities, waiting for a decision on flight safety.