Drones Strike St. Petersburg, Forcing Pulkovo Airport Closure

(ST. PETERSBURG) On August 23, 2025, Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg halted all traffic for hours after a drone attack triggered emergency airspace restrictions, freezing arrivals and departures and disrupting about 100 flights. Officials later allowed limited operations to resume, but only with clearance from security authorities. The stoppage was the most severe interruption at the airport this year and part of a wider wave of drone threats across Russia’s air network, where temporary shutdowns have become common as air defense units react in real time to suspected targets.

Airport data and airline notices showed about 60 flights delayed and at least three canceled during the August 23 disruption. Delays hit both departures and arrivals, including international routes to Baku, Yerevan, and Batumi. Social media posts and eyewitness messages from across St. Petersburg described drones in the sky and long lines at terminals as passengers waited for updates. The airport’s press service flagged rolling restrictions through the day, and carriers updated boarding times multiple times as the situation changed.

Governor Alexander Drozdenko of the Leningrad Region confirmed the drone attack and said air defense forces destroyed at least one drone. Authorities reported no injuries and no physical damage at Pulkovo Airport itself, but local officials acknowledged knock-on effects to the region’s internet and mobile networks. That disruption complicated communications between airlines, ground handlers, and travelers and added to the confusion on the concourses.

Artem Korenyako, press secretary for the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), said temporary flight restrictions were introduced at nine airports on August 23 to protect safety while security teams assessed risk and cleared individual corridors. He said Pulkovo Airport resumed operations later in the day, with traffic allowed only after specific approvals. The Russian Defense Ministry said air defense units intercepted multiple drones in coordinated attacks across several regions.

Airport paralysis and rolling closures

The August 23 stoppage capped a summer of repeated alerts. Drone attacks on Russian infrastructure have escalated through 2024 and 2025, and large hubs—especially in St. Petersburg and Moscow—have faced frequent interruptions tied to the conflict.

Analysts widely attribute these incidents to Ukraine’s campaign to disrupt Russian logistics and military operations far from the front lines. Russian officials, in turn, call the strikes acts of terrorism and have expanded air defense deployments around key sites.

The numbers point to a sustained pattern:

• Since January 2025, there have been at least 217 temporary airport closures across Russia due to drone threats.
• That figure already surpasses the totals recorded in 2023 and 2024 combined.
• Aviation observers say the scale and speed of these shutdowns are without precedent for the country’s civil air system.

Pulkovo Airport has been hit several times this summer. Notable incidents include:

• July 5: Alert forced a lengthy pause — more than 50 flights delayed and over 20 canceled; passengers reported waiting up to 10 hours. Turkish Airlines added five extra flights to move stranded travelers.
• July 27: During Navy Day celebrations and a presidential visit, drones targeted the city and the airport closed for about five hours.

Passengers and crews have endured repeated uncertainty:

• Crews sometimes board passengers only to unload them minutes later when restricted zones expand.
• Families find flights diverted or delayed until late at night.
• Pilots may hold in the air until fuel limits force diversions.
• Ground staff must field constant questions about rebooking while waiting for security clearances they cannot control.

Security posture and official response

Rosaviatsia has relied on a toolkit of fast, temporary closures that can be lifted and reimposed multiple times a day. Permissions are granted flight by flight, and air traffic controllers coordinate closely with air defense units, which prioritize live threat data.

The stated aims of this system are to:

• Keep aircraft and passengers safe while allowing movement when conditions permit.
• Enable quick resumption of flights when corridors are cleared by security teams.

However, the approach results in sudden, wide-ranging changes that upend plans with little warning. Korenyako’s office confirmed the nationwide restrictions on August 23 and Pulkovo’s limited restart later that day. The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted “dozens” of drones across several regions in recent coordinated attacks, underlining the spread of the threat beyond any single city.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, 2025 has seen more airport shutdowns tied to drone threats than any previous year, a pattern aviation experts describe as unprecedented for the civil sector.

Regional leaders and airport managers have emphasized defensive measures and public preparedness:

• Russian officials frame closures as necessary to protect life and infrastructure.
• Governor Drozdenko and others highlighted the role of air defense units.
• Residents were warned to expect intermittent communications issues during security operations.
• Pulkovo’s press service and airline station managers increased staffing at counters and, in some cases, added flights to ease backlogs.

The operational and economic effects are broad:

• Thousands of passengers have faced delays or cancellations at Pulkovo since early July.
• International routes are hit harder because crews and aircraft must meet strict time limits.
• Airlines report increased costs, degraded on-time performance, and complications for maintenance planning.
• Travelers face missed meetings, lost hotel nights, and last-minute childcare or other personal disruptions.

Infrastructure stress has been a recurring feature. On August 23, officials noted disruptions to internet and mobile services in parts of the region, which:

• Slowed airline check-in systems, boarding pass scanning, and baggage tracking.
• Limited travelers’ ability to refresh flight apps or receive text alerts.
• Forced passengers back to departure boards and desk queues.

Authorities are pursuing both immediate and longer-term responses:

• Short-term: stricter controls near airports and enhanced counter-drone defenses.
• Long-term: modernization of terminals and improved detection/interception systems.
• Pulkovo has major reconstruction planned for 2027.

Officials are also expected to review whether airlines should adjust passenger compensation rules for drone-related delays and cancellations — a debate that would involve carriers, regulators, and consumer groups.

For official notices about temporary restrictions and airport operations, Rosaviatsia maintains national updates for the civil aviation sector on its website. Travelers and airlines can monitor those bulletins at: https://favt.gov.ru/.

Guidance for travelers facing disruptions

When a drone alert grounds flights, clear information and patience help most. Passengers moving through Pulkovo Airport can reduce stress by preparing for sudden changes and using multiple channels to track status.

Key steps to follow:

1. Check live status often
   • Use the airport’s website, airline apps, and global trackers.
   • If connections are tight, study options for later flights on the same route.
2. Contact your airline directly
   • For rebooking, refunds, or re-routing.
   • Carriers have been adding flights or moving passengers to open seats after restrictions lift.
3. Watch official announcements
   • Follow Rosaviatsia and local government channels.
   • Restrictions can tighten or ease within minutes.
4. Arrive early and pack for a long wait
   • Bring chargers, medications, baby supplies, and snacks.
   • Network issues may slow payment systems at shops, so have backup payment or cash.
5. Stay ready at the gate
   • Keep boarding documents ready and listen for gate changes.
   • Crews often board quickly when clearance windows open.
6. If meeting passengers, confirm diversion plans
   • Flights may hold, divert, or return to origin depending on status.
7. Consider flexible options
   • Flexible tickets or travel insurance that covers security-event disruptions can reduce risk if offered by your carrier or agent.

Airlines and airport teams have adopted emergency routines since early July, including extra counters and more ground handlers during alert periods. Turkish Airlines’ decision to add five flights on July 5 is one example of how carriers manage backlogs. Similar measures — more check-in staff, standby buses, and priority boarding for tight connections — help move people once runways reopen.

What to expect going forward

The pattern at Pulkovo suggests more days like August 23 may lie ahead. Typical alert-day sequences include:

• A full stop to all traffic.
• Partial clearance for selected arrivals.
• A managed restart of departures.
• Possible further pauses as security reports change.

Each round affects crew duty time, gate availability, and baggage handling, which triggers downstream schedule changes. Authorities stress that speed matters: the goal is to recover flying as soon as conditions allow while keeping drones out of approach and departure paths. That requires short-notice decisions, meaning passengers should assume plans may shift until their flight is airborne.

The broader conflict continues to shape what happens in the skies over St. Petersburg:

• Ukrainian forces are widely believed to be using drones to pressure Russian logistics and morale far from front-line fighting.
• Russian officials say the strikes target civilians and have pledged more defenses around key sites.

As with other parts of the war, the airspace above cities has become part of the theater, and civilian travel now feels the strain. For Pulkovo, the near-term path is likely more of the same: repeated alerts, short-notice closures, and careful restarts. The airport’s planned 2027 reconstruction and the push for stronger counter-drone tools may reduce risk over time.

Important takeaway: Temporary closures and tight, controlled releases are the current safety-first approach. On August 23 this approach protected passengers — there were no reported injuries and no damage at the airport despite the shutdown and communications strain.

Practical travel reminders:

• Build extra time into plans.
• Keep phones charged and rely on official sources and airline channels.
• Stay close to the gate when status changes, because a brief clearance window can determine whether you depart or wait another night.