Earlier, Sheremetyevo Airport temporarily restricted the arrival and departure of aircraft, with inbound flights diverted to alternate airports. Passengers were evacuated, including those already on board aircraft. The restrictions were later lifted.
Astra subsequently reported that temporary restrictions had also been removed at Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports.
Update 11:49 a.m. A total of 527 flights were delayed or canceled at Moscow's airports amid what has been described as the largest Ukrainian drone attack of the war in terms of the number of drones involved, The Moscow Times reported.
The most severe disruption was recorded at Sheremetyevo Airport, where, as of 11 a.m., 50 departing flights had been canceled and 71 delayed. Another 60 arriving flights were canceled and 76 delayed.
At Vnukovo Airport, 24 departing flights were canceled and 56 delayed. A total of 94 incoming flights were affected, including 17 cancellations and 77 delays.
Moscow came under a large-scale drone attack on the morning of June 18. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that Russian air defenses had shot down more than 30 drones heading toward the Russian capital.
The strike marked the second attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery in two days.
On June 16, the facility was targeted by Ukrainian drones. According to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), the attack damaged the refinery's "heart" — a key primary oil-processing unit.
The Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported that the refinery is protected by dozens, if not hundreds, of air defense systems.
According to Defense Express, the drones passed at least five Pantsir air defense systems deployed on towers or elevated positions.
The Moscow Oil Refinery processes about 11 million metric tons of crude oil annually and supplies roughly 50% of Moscow's diesel fuel needs. Reuters, citing sources, reported that the refinery suspended operations following the drone attack.