Ukrainian drone attacks caused significant disruption to Russian air traffic over the weekend, with major airports serving Moscow and St. Petersburg among those forced to restrict operations on Sunday.
Widespread Flight Cancellations and Delays
The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that by 6:00 PM local time on Sunday, approximately 400 flights had been canceled due to air safety measures. Passengers were advised to consider train travel as an alternative.
Specifically, the ministry reported that “By 6 PM Moscow time, 171 flights were canceled at Sheremetyevo Airport. Fifty-six flights were delayed for more than two hours.” At Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, 90 flights were canceled and 37 others were delayed for at least two hours. Flights were also canceled at airports in Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kirov, Pskov, and Tambov.
Drone Interceptions and Border Incidents
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that six Ukrainian drones were shot down as they approached the capital, though he did not provide details on potential damage. In the Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that Ukrainian drones injured two civilians near the border area.
These Ukrainian attacks followed several major Russian bombardments on Kyiv, which killed at least two people and injured dozens. Ukrainian authorities stated on July 6 that five people were killed as a result of Russian shelling in several settlements in the Donetsk region. Moscow denies targeting civilian areas, despite numerous reports and evidence of such attacks since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Zelensky Vows More Drones; Trump Disappointed with Putin
Over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed new agreements with allies that he said would provide “hundreds of thousands” of new drones for the war against Russia. He stated that Kyiv is “preparing new steps that will truly make Russia feel the cost of this war.” Zelensky has consistently called on Western partners to send more weapons and increase pressure on Russia through additional financial sanctions.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 4 that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, understands that he could face new sanctions as Moscow continues to reject Washington’s ceasefire efforts in Ukraine. “We talk a lot about sanctions, and he understands that they could come,” Trump said, adding, “He will go to the very end, just keep killing people. That’s not good.” Trump expressed being “very unhappy” with the Kremlin leader.
Trump reiterated on July 6 that he was “disappointed” by a phone conversation with Putin held on July 3. Many observers suggest that Putin is not rushing to agree to a ceasefire, believing he is winning the war in Ukraine. However, Russia has suffered significant troop losses, and its economy has taken a major hit due to rising defense spending.
