Russia suspends two airports’ traffic over drone threat

Russia said on Wednesday that a major airport near the city of Kazan, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from Ukraine, had been temporarily closed after the region was targeted by a Ukrainian attack drone, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Ukrainian forces have in recent weeks escalated aerial attacks on Russian border regions but have also been able to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.

According to AFP, the defence ministry said it had downed a Ukrainian drone over the central region of Tatarstan but did not specify what was the target of the attack.

Two airports in the region, including in the major hub of Kazan, were temporarily closed around the same time, Russian aviation body, Rosaviatsia announced.

“To ensure the safety of civil aircraft, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the work of two airports in Tatarstan – Kazan and Nizhnekamsk,” state news agencies cited the aviation body as saying.

Russia earlier said it had neutralised 17 Ukrainian drones overnight as Kyiv targeted a fuel depot in the southern city of Rostov, home to Moscow’s military headquarters for its operation in Ukraine.

Russian aerial defence systems intercepted and destroyed 17 drones across several border areas, as well as 10 Atacms missiles over the annexed Crimean peninsula, the defence ministry said.

Two drones caused explosions at a fuel depot in Rostov without setting off a fire or wounding anyone, local governor Vasily Golubev said on Telegram, according to AFP.