Victory Day 2025: Drone strikes, internet blackouts disrupt Russian airports

In the lead-up to Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, 2025, Ukrainian drone attacks caused significant disruptions at major Russian airports, particularly in Moscow. These incidents led to widespread flight cancellations and delays, affecting tens of thousands of passengers and prompting heightened security measures. 

Flight disruptions in Moscow 

Between May 6 and May 8, 2025, Moscow’s primary airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky – experienced multiple temporary shutdowns due to drone threat alerts. On the night of May 6 to 7, 2025, Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) twice suspended all takeoffs and landings for several hours. Similar closures occurred at the other airports, causing inbound flights to circle or divert until airspace was deemed secure. 

By May 8, 2025, over 100 flights to and from Moscow had been canceled, and more than 140 others were delayed. Aeroflot, Russia’s flag carrier, canceled over 100 flights in the capital, while subsidiaries Rossiya and Pobeda also reported numerous cancellations or consolidations. Passengers reported being stuck on grounded planes for hours or having their routes abruptly changed mid-flight under the emergency “Kovyor” (Carpet) protocol, which clears all civilian aircraft from the sky when an unidentified object is detected to allow air defense units to engage the drones. 

Nationwide impact 

The drone alerts’ ripple effect extended beyond Moscow. According to Russia’s Association of Tour Operators, by May 7, 2025, at least 350 flights had been delayed, canceled, or rerouted since the drone incursions began, disrupting travel plans for approximately 60,000 passengers nationwide. Airports in Sochi, Kaluga, Tambov, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, and other cities also experienced temporary closures. St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport (LED) accepted at least 74 unscheduled landings on May 6 and 7, 2025, as Moscow-bound planes sought refuge. 

Drone incidents and security measures 

Russian authorities attributed the disruptions to a surge in attempted Ukrainian drone strikes ahead of the Victory Day holiday. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on May 7 that at least seven drones were shot down around the capital that evening. The previous night, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that over 100 Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted across 13 different regions. While no direct strikes on civilian airport infrastructure were confirmed, falling debris was documented in some areas.  

Notably, Ukrainian strike drones targeted the Shaykovka air base in the Kaluga region and the Kubinka air base near Moscow. The latter is likely to house personnel and equipment preparing for the Victory Day flypast, including the Russian Knights and Swifts aerobatic teams flying Su-30, Su-35, and MiG-29 fighter jets. 

Mobile internet restrictions 

In addition to airspace closures, authorities imposed mobile internet restrictions in Moscow and in at least 30 other cities during the first week of May, aiming to reduce the risk of drones being remotely piloted or coordinated via cellular networks. These restrictions led to disruptions in ride-hailing and delivery services, digital payment systems, and access to information for travelers.  

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the deliberate mobile network “blackouts,” framing them as necessary safeguards to ensure the Victory Day celebrations proceeded without incident. 

Foreign leaders attend amid heightened tensions 

Despite security concerns, Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow attracted 29 foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Troops from Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Egypt, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam are expected to participate in the parade.  

Russia places geopolitical importance on the Victory Day celebrations, particularly in light of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine and strained relations with Western countries. Under President Putin’s regime, the event has shifted from a commemoration of past military victories to a platform for Russia to showcase its military and strengthen international alliances.  

Lithuania closes airspace to European leaders heading to Moscow 

On April 7, 2025, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that the country would not allow the leaders of Serbia and Slovakia to cross its airspace on their way to the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, citing safety concerns for the two head of states amid Russia’s ongoing GPS “spoofing, jamming, and all other things that go along with cyber interference.”

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, various European civil aviation authorities, such as EASA, the French DGAC, and Finnish Traficom, have reported an increase in GPS signal disruptions impacting flights, particularly in the Kaliningrad region, the surrounding Baltic Sea, and neighboring areas.  

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