Russia’s Federal Security Service said it detained two men over an alleged plan to carry out drone strikes in the Moscow region, days after reported drone activity caused simultaneous flight suspensions at all four of the capital’s commercial airports.
The FSB announcement, reported on October 26, said the alleged targets included components of Moscow’s missile-defense system and an electricity facility. The two suspects were described as men from the South Caucasus region, born in 1991 and 1998. Their names and citizenships were not disclosed, according to reporting by The Aviation Hub and AeroTime.
Both men were remanded in custody and face terrorism-related charges ahead of trial. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The FSB alleged that they were acting on behalf of Ukraine’s SBU security service. Ukraine has not been identified in the reporting as having confirmed or denied the allegation.
Airport closures followed repeated drone activity
The arrests came after a series of disruptions to civil aviation in the Moscow area. On October 23, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports suspended arrivals and departures at the same time because of reported drone activity. The Aviation Hub reported that this was the second occasion within two days on which all four airports had closed together.
| Date | Reported development | Authority or organization |
|---|---|---|
| October 23, 2026 | All four Moscow commercial airports suspended arrivals and departures amid drone activity | Airport authorities, as reported by The Aviation Hub |
| October 26, 2026 | Two men were detained over an alleged drone-strike plot | Russia’s FSB |
The airport restrictions placed passengers and aircraft inside the capital’s aviation system under immediate operational pressure. The reported closures affected both arrivals and departures, rather than a single airport or an isolated flight path, demonstrating the breadth of the response described by The Aviation Hub.
What the FSB alleges
According to the FSB account, the suspects allegedly recovered drones and explosive components from concealed locations in the Smolensk and Kaluga regions before transporting them toward the Moscow region. The agency said the equipment was intended to be used in an operation directed remotely by people based in Ukraine.
The FSB released footage that it said showed a suspect confession and scenes connected with drone assembly, with TASS reporting on the material. The Aviation Hub said the agency’s account described an alleged network extending from western Russia to Ukrainian territory. Those claims remain allegations by the Russian security service.
- Two men were detained, according to the FSB.
- The alleged targets included missile-defense components and an electricity facility.
- Four Moscow airports suspended arrivals and departures amid reported drone activity.
The incident illustrates how drone activity can affect airspace beyond the immediate location of a reported aircraft. In this case, the response extended to the capital’s entire group of commercial airports, while the subsequent criminal investigation focused on an alleged plot targeting military and energy infrastructure. Further legal findings will depend on proceedings against the detained suspects.
