Russia's Kaluga airport closes because of drones, flights restricted at Domodedovo

A Kovyor (Carpet) Plan was triggered at the airport in the Russian city of Kaluga due to the emergence of drones in the skies over the oblast on the afternoon of 22 December, causing delays in departures and arrivals. [A Kovyor plan is an airport operational safety procedure for airport services and personnel when an unidentified object appears in the sky – ed.].

Source: Kaluga Oblast Governor Vladislav Shapsha; Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies RBC and RIA Novosti on Telegram

Quote from RBC, citing a statement from the airport: "Kaluga airport has introduced a Kovyor Plan. The reason for this is the presence of drones. The plan will delay departures and arrivals from and to Kaluga International Airport. Airborne aircraft have been redirected to alternate airfields."

More details: Earlier, Kaluga Governor Vladislav Shapsha claimed that Russian air defences had shot down a UAV in the Dzerzhinsky district. He later reported two more supposedly downed drones.

The official claimed there were no casualties or damage to infrastructure.

Update: The Kovyor Plan at Kaluga Airport was lifted approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes after it was introduced.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also said that a drone flying towards Moscow had been shot down in the Podolsk urban district, with no damage or casualties.

At Domodedovo Airport, partial departure restrictions were imposed for half an hour on Friday, while arrivals proceeded as normal, RIA Novosti reported.

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