Vol à vide :Russia 23 September: airport restrictions after drone threat

On the morning of 23 September 2026, Russian airports again faced temporary restrictions on arrivals and departures amid a drone (UAV) threat. This is a new daily wave after the 20 September Moscow shutdowns — not the same day and not the same board snapshot.

What travellers saw

Rosaviatsia reported temporary limits at Sochi and said Domodedovo was accepting and dispatching flights only in coordination with the relevant authorities, with possible schedule changes (RT). Overnight into the morning, temporary limits were also reported at several regional airports including Kazan and Nizhnekamsk. In Moscow, by about 10:00 local time, airport statements relayed by TASS put the combined disruption at more than 200 delayed or cancelled flights: Sheremetyevo bore the brunt (71 delays and 96 cancellations), with impacts also listed at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky.

If the schedule is critical

When Moscow or southern hubs close arrival/departure windows, same-day connections have little slack. If you cannot wait for restrictions to lift, a private jet or empty leg into an alternate field may be workable once slots reopen. Rahizi qualifies the brief and returns partner options.

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Facts from Rosaviatsia statements cited by RT, and Moscow airport boards / TASS figures for the morning of 23 September 2026. Always verify with your carrier.