On January 1, 2025, six airports in Russia were closed for security reasons as Ukrainian drones targeted several regions in the country. The announcement was made by Artem Korenyako, spokesperson for the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya), via Telegram.
The affected airports included those in Kaluga, Penza, Saransk, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk, which temporarily ceased all flights. By the evening, restrictions were lifted at the Kaluga airport. However, Korenyako later reported that Kazan airport also faced temporary limitations.
As of the morning of January 2, operations resumed at Kazan, Penza, Saransk, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk airports. The exact reasons for the closures were not disclosed, but the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of Ukrainian drones over several regions in Central Russia, including Belgorod, Kursk, Voronezh, Bryansk, Rostov, Tula, and Oryol.
Yuri Slyusar, head of the Rostov region, confirmed the downing of five drones in his area, while Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod, also reported a drone attack.
Nearly three years into the war in Ukraine, nine airports in central and southern Russia remain closed, including those in Anapa, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Gelendzhik, Krasnodar, Kursk, Lipetsk, and Rostov-on-Don. Additionally, the airport in Simferopol, located in annexed Crimea, is also closed.