Moscow Dynamo Stranded in Krasnodar After Southern Airports Shut Down

Moscow’s Dynamo football squad is stuck in Krasnodar, unable to fly home after their Russian Cup elimination match, as authorities suspended operations at 13 airports across southern Russia. The team lost to Krasnodar on May 7 in a penalty shootout (0-0, 5-6) and was set to return to Moscow the following day. Instead, players and staff remain in the city waiting for official updates, the club’s press service confirmed.

The travel disruption stems from a drone strike on an administrative building of the AeroNavigation of South Russia branch in Rostov-on-Don. Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicles hit the facility, prompting Russia’s Transport Ministry to halt flights at airports in Astrakhan, Vladikavkaz, Volgograd, Gelendzhik, Grozny, Krasnodar, Makhachkala, Magas, Mineralnye Vody, Nalchik, Sochi, Stavropol, and Elista. The closure, announced late Tuesday, has no clear end date, leaving Dynamo and countless other travelers in limbo.

For Dynamo, the loss on the pitch now feels secondary to the logistical headache. The team’s cup run ended in disappointment, but the immediate concern is getting home. Airport officials have not said when normal operations might resume. For now, the squad waits, along with thousands of passengers whose plans were upended by the sudden shutdown.