On July 6, Russia’s federal aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, confirmed that several airports had suspended flight operations due to heightened security concerns stemming from Ukrainian drone incursions.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense systems shot down approximately 120 drones overnight between July 5 and 6. The Ministry said the unmanned aerial vehicles targeted various regions across Russian territory.
While Ukrainian officials have not issued a formal response to these claims, analysts suggest that Kyiv’s growing use of drone strikes on Russian infrastructure is a deliberate tactic aimed at stretching Russia’s defensive capacity and disrupting its internal logistics far from the battlefield.
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, reported a temporary suspension of flights at several airports, including Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, due to restricted airspace over the capital and adverse weather conditions, particularly strong winds. At Sheremetyevo alone, 174 flights were canceled and 47 delayed, resulting in significant passenger congestion.
Additional disruptions were reported at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, as well as at airports in Nizhny Novgorod (Strigino) and Kaluga, all citing safety-related concerns.
The Kyiv Independent has not yet independently confirmed these reports.
A Ukrainian drone operation overnight on July 5 reportedly struck the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast, marking a continuation of Kyiv’s expanding drone campaign inside Russian territory.
According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the strike hit a warehouse containing guided bombs, military aircraft, and other valuable equipment. Preliminary assessments suggest that both training and combat aircraft may have been destroyed in the attack.
The Borisoglebsk airfield is known to host Russian Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets—aircraft frequently used in bombing missions against Ukrainian targets.
Shortly after the reported strike, NASA’s FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System) detected thermal anomalies consistent with a fire near the airbase. Russian independent outlet Astra cited local residents who described hearing 8 to 10 loud explosions around 2 a.m. local time.
The strike was reportedly part of a wider drone offensive that night, with blasts and blazes documented across at least six Russian regions.
