Drones prompt security scare, halt at St. Petersburg airport
Security concerns caused an interruption of over two hours in the operation of Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Reuters reported. The information about disruptions at Russia's second-largest airport was provided by the local aviation transport agency.
On Saturday morning, a representative of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) announced on social media that the airport had stopped accepting flights and conducting all operations. He reassured that all services were focused on providing maximum security for airport users.
After approximately two and a half hours, Reuters reported—also quoting a statement from the Rosaviatsiya representative—that Pulkovo Airport was once again fully operational.
Drones over Russia
Also on Saturday morning, the authorities of the Leningrad region reported that Russian forces had neutralized an attack by at least four drones near the Gulf of Finland. "We have not recorded any casualties or damage," stated Aleksandr Drozdenko, the governor of the region.
In mid-December, two airports in the European part of Russia—in Izhevsk and Kazan—suspended arrivals and departures of aircraft following an attack by Ukrainian drones.