Pashinyan's plane diverted after drone attacks disrupt Moscow airports

A plane carrying Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, was unable to land in Moscow due to widespread airspace restrictions following a major overnight drone attack, Russian Telegram channels reported on Thursday.

Pashinyan’s ACJ319 reportedly circled over Russia’s Tver region for nearly an hour awaiting clearance before being diverted to St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, where it landed at around 1 a.m. local time. The prime minister was travelling from Germany and had been scheduled to attend a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union’s Intergovernmental Council in Moscow.

The Russian capital experienced one of its largest recent drone attacks overnight, with air-defense systems intercepting 32 drones. Residents reported hearing blasts in several districts, including Zelenograd, Ramenskoye, Odintsovo and Dubna.

Four major airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky – imposed flight restrictions. More than 170 flights were delayed, cancelled or diverted, with many rerouted to Pulkovo.