Reports say Ukraine used weather balloons to carry drones near Moscow airports
Reports from Russian military channels said Ukraine used drones carried by weather balloons to reach the area around Moscow before releasing them, in an effort to disrupt air traffic. The reported tactic adds to a wider wave of drone activity that has caused delays and cancellations across Russia’s airports.
By early afternoon, Sheremetyevo had reported 84 delayed flights and 45 cancellations, while Vnukovo reported 119 delays and ten cancellations. St Petersburg’s Pulkovo had 138 disrupted flights and Novosibirsk around 100; Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had downed 2,690 Ukrainian drones in two and a half days. Some passengers reportedly waited for days, with complaints about poor information and a lack of food on board.
In short
- Reports describe drones released from high-flying balloons near Moscow.
- Airports across Russia faced extensive delays and cancellations.
- Russia said it downed 2,690 Ukrainian drones in two and a half days.
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The case for
Those defending the reported tactic could argue that disrupting air traffic is a way to impose costs on Russia’s war effort and signal that its rear areas are not beyond reach. They may see it as a form of pressure short of direct attacks on people, while recognising that any operation must distinguish military objectives from civilian risks.
The case against
Critics could argue that using drones near major airports foreseeably endangers civilian aviation and burdens passengers who have no role in the conflict. Even if the intended target is disruption rather than harm, flight cancellations, prolonged waits and uncertainty can impose substantial costs on ordinary people and risk escalation.
Explained simply
Moscow is served by several major airports, including Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo, which handle domestic and international flights. Russia has faced repeated drone activity during its war with Ukraine, and authorities have sometimes closed airspace or restricted flights when they report a security threat.
Ukraine and Russia have both used drones in the conflict, while Russia’s Defence Ministry reports intercepting Ukrainian drones. Reports of balloons carrying drones describe a possible way to move them towards an area before releasing them; details of the reported method and its use have not been independently confirmed.
Flight disruption can affect travellers well beyond the area where a threat is reported, as aircraft and crews are delayed or rerouted. The wider issue is how drone activity affects civilian transport and air safety during the war.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Ukraine hits Russia with deadly new tactic of drones released from high-flying weather balloons to trigger Moscow airport chaos”.