Russian airports Pulkovo, Sheremetyevo and Strigino have faced massive flight delays and cancellations caused by the threat of drone attacks. According to Telegram channels, about a hundred flights have been delayed at these three airports. At Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, the "Carpet" mode, which implies a complete closure of the airspace for civil aviation, has been introduced twice in the last 40 minutes. As a result, 18 flights have been delayed and eight have been completely cancelled. The situation at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo is even more tense: more than 60 flights are on hold and 20 have been cancelled. At Nizhny Novgorod's Strigino Airport, 17 flights have been delayed. Passengers trying to fly to Sochi from Sheremetyevo spent 3,5 hours on board the plane waiting for permission to take off, and their plane is still waiting in line on the runway.

The reasons for the disruptions were restrictions imposed due to the threat of attacks by Ukrainian UAVs. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on the night of July 5, air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 94 drones over 14 regions, including Moscow, Leningrad, and Nizhny Novgorod Oblasts. At Pulkovo, restrictions on the receipt and release of aircraft were in effect from 23:15 on July 4 to 05:35 on July 5, which led to the delay of more than 50 flights and the cancellation of 13.