Breakdown in Russia. Urgent implementation of the "Kowior" plan

• Since the beginning of the year, Russian airports have suspended operations at least 217 times due to the threat of drone attacks.
• The restrictions affected dozens of cities. Russia recently experienced one of the largest paralysis
• It is estimated that airlines could have incurred losses of around 1 billion rubles, or PLN 46 million.

Ahead of the so-called Victory Day, Russia experienced one of the largest air traffic disruptions of 2022. On May 6 and 7, Ukrainian drones attacked various Russian regions, which paralyzed the work of more than ten civilian airports. The actions of Ukrainian drones forced the authorities to close, among others, airports in the Moscow region.

This caused a transport breakdown. Airlines canceled hundreds of flights, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

The independent Russian website Novaya Gazeta. Europa reported that since the beginning of the year, airports in Russia have suspended operations at least 217 times due to the risk of drone attacks. In 2023-24, airspace was closed primarily over airports in Moscow and Kazan, Tatarstan. In 2025, flights were suspended in most of western Russia.

As Onet reports, due to airport closures , air carriers may have lost around 1 billion rubles, or around PLN 46 million, this year. In order to detect unidentified flying objects near airports, Russia has introduced the "Kowior" plan. What does it involve?

This means that all aircraft on the ground must remain on the tarmac, those that can land immediately must land, and those that cannot land must reach maximum altitude and leave the danger zone.

The portal adds that since November 2023, the plan has been implemented in 37 civilian airports, mainly:

• in Moscow,
• Sermon,
• Saratov,
• Nizhnekamsk.

Moscow airports were the most frequently suspended airports, but temporary restrictions also affected airports in Tatarstan. They were probably chosen because of the presence of strategic military facilities, including the Iranian Shahid drone factory in Yelabuga, which was bombed by Ukrainian drones in April 2024.