Israel’s flagship carrier EL AL has suspended flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow, citing growing security risks linked to repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital and disruptions at Moscow airports.
The airline said it would halt service on the route from June 25 until further notice after recurring drone threats and airspace restrictions made flight operations increasingly unpredictable.
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“Due to the ongoing security situation and operational uncertainty surrounding Moscow airports, flights on this route have been suspended until conditions allow for safe and reliable service,” the company said in a statement cited by Israeli media.
Since mid-June, Ukraine has launched a series of large-scale drone attacks targeting Moscow and surrounding regions. Russian authorities reported intercepting 60 drones near the capital on June 16, 76 on June 19, and 84 on June 22.
The largest attack came on June 18, when Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defenses shot down 194 drones aimed at the capital. The strike caused major disruption across Moscow’s aviation network, with 527 flights delayed or canceled, according to Russian authorities.
The suspension by EL AL, Israel’s largest airline carrying more than 6.5 million passengers annually, underscores growing concerns among international carriers over the reliability and safety of flights into Moscow amid the expanding reach of Ukrainian drone operations.
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Political analyst Abbas Gallyamov, cited by The Moscow Times, described the decision as a symbolic blow to the Kremlin.
“Israelis are afraid to fly to Russia – not the other way around,” Gallyamov wrote on social media. “For some Russians, this may be the moment they realize that, in the eyes of outsiders, Moscow is now considered more dangerous than Tel Aviv.”
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