Russian Summer Air Travel Fell Amid Surge in Daily Drone Attacks

Sep. 29, 2026 Passengers at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency Russian airlines recorded a 7% drop in passenger traffic during the summer travel season, as a surge of daily Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted operations at dozens of airports across the country, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday. Dmitry Yadrov, who heads the civilian aviation agency Rosaviatsia, said in a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that Russian airlines transported 39.5 million passengers between May and August. That is reportedly down from around 42.6 million passengers who were transported over the same period last year. The drop comes amid near-daily disruptions at Russian airports due to Ukrainian attacks. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned foreign airlines and insurance companies that Ukrainian drones made Russian airspace dangerous. In response, Rosaviatsia vowed it would work to prevent any disruption to civil aviation. “Despite all the challenges we faced, primarily those related to restrictions on the use of airspace, the industry as a whole — airlines, airports, air navigation — operated normally, reliably and safely,” Yadrov told Mishustin on Tuesday. Russia’s Economic Development Ministry projects passenger traffic to reach 108.5 million in 2026, down 0.3% year-on-year, according to Interfax. The ministry cites “systemic constraints,” including difficulties maintaining foreign aircraft and prolonged airport closures in southern Russia, as the main causes for the expected decrease. Aviation experts warn that demand for air travel could fall even further as the government is weighing whether to introduce new passenger fees to offset rising aircraft leasing costs and jet fuel prices. According to the newspaper Kommersant, those proposed surcharges could raise between 68 billion rubles and 84 billion rubles ($807 million and $997 million) annually. Read more about: Airlines Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Resumption of Direct Flights Depends on Ukraine Ceasefire, U.S. Tells Russia “The Americans still believe there needs to be progress on the Ukrainian track before any talk of restoring air travel,” Putin's foreign policy aide... 2 Min read Azerbaijani Plane Headed for Russia Likely Damaged By 'External Objects' Before Crash – Probe The preliminary report published by Kazakh authorities did not identify the reason why the plane went off course. 2 Min read Poland Accuses Russia of Planning Global ‘Air Terror’ Acts Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Moscow had planned acts of “air terror, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world.” 2 Min read Civilian Planes Face ‘High Risk’ Flying Over Russia, EU Agency Says The European Union Aviation Safety Agency renewed its recommendation for airlines to avoid flying over western Russian airspace. 2 Min read