- Russia imposed new flight restrictions at Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo on September 2, causing cancellations and delays.
- Rosaviatsia reported 21 cancellations and 235 delays at Sheremetyevo, plus 22 cancellations and 94 delays at Vnukovo.
- Zelenskyy warned airlines and insurers that Russian skies are becoming unsafe amid repeated drone alerts near Moscow.
Russia imposed another round of flight restrictions at Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo on September 2, 2026, disrupting arrivals and departures for the second consecutive night after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned airlines and insurers about Russian airspace.
The Federal Air Transport Agency, known as Rosaviatsia, described the measures as temporary. Passengers faced cancellations and delays as another drone alert unfolded near the Russian capital.
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Zelenskyy issued his warning on September 1. He addressed airlines using Russian airspace, insurers covering flights and operators of major Russian airports.
“Today, we want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, and everyone who still uses key Russian airports: Russian skies are becoming thoroughly unsafe,” he said.
“There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account.”
Flight-tracking figures showed 21 canceled flights and 235 delays at one airport. The other recorded 22 cancellations and 94 delays.
Zelenskyy also sought to distinguish the warning from a threat against passenger aircraft. “Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such — not a single civilian aircraft,” he said. He added that “the safe days in Russia’s skies are over.”
The restrictions followed another reported drone alert. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses had shot down seven drones headed toward the capital on September 2. Russian air defense claims cited 12 drones approaching the city that night.
The disruption followed a broader sequence of overnight restrictions. On the previous night, authorities placed all four Moscow international airports under restrictions, including Domodedovo and Zhukovsky.
The second-night disruption hit the two airports differently
The available airport figures showed a heavy delay burden at the larger of the two facilities, while both recorded canceled flights.
| Airport | Canceled flights | Delayed flights |
|---|---|---|
| Sheremetyevo | 21 | 235 |
| Vnukovo | 22 | 94 |
The restrictions were not limited to one terminal or one carrier. They affected both arriving and departing aircraft.
A separate tally counted disruptions across three Moscow airports
A separate September 2 tally said changes affected at least 77 flights across Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo. That figure covered the three-airport system, while the airport-by-airport figures above recorded cancellations and delays separately.
The repeated nighttime measures have already reached international carriers. Pegasus Airlines was among the first directly affected, with one tally recording 12 canceled Moscow flights overnight.
The carrier later said flights scheduled for the night of September 1 to 2 were canceled for “technical and operational reasons.” At Vnukovo, Pegasus canceled six arriving flights and six departing flights.
The carrier’s explanation did not erase the immediate passenger impact. Travelers scheduled during the overnight restrictions encountered canceled services, delayed departures and changes to arrival plans.
Russian authorities rejected the Ukrainian warning. Rosaviatsia said Ukraine’s airspace notice had “no legal force” and violated international aviation rules.
The agency also maintained that Russia’s aviation system was functioning normally. “Temporary restrictions have been introduced on the arrival and departure of aircraft,” Rosaviatsia said in its account of the measures.
In another statement, the agency said: “Russian air transport, its ground infrastructure, continue to operate normally, receiving and dispatching flights, including those of foreign airlines.”
Presidential adviser Anton Kobyakov separately said Russian airspace remained safe for civil aviation. The statements came as authorities continued to impose temporary restrictions during drone alerts.
The competing accounts leave airlines weighing operational disruption against the official Russian position. Zelenskyy urged carriers, insurers and airport operators to account for the risk of further drone activity.
His warning was direct: “There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account.”
