Russian authorities impose new rules for small aircraft in Moscow suburbs after local residents repeatedly mistake planes for Ukrainian drones

Airfields around Moscow have begun sharing flight information with law enforcement agencies in response to multiple incidents in which local residents mistook small aircraft for Ukrainian drones and reported them to emergency services, RBC reported on Tuesday, citing airfield representatives.

Management from four airfields and flying clubs reported that residents had complained about planes at their facilities. After each complaint, police launched an investigation and requested flight information from the airfield.

“It used to be that the police would come, look around, and ask whether [planes] had taken off at our airfield. [...] Lately, they’ve been calling me directly,” said Viktor Lobkovsky, the head of the company that operates an airfield in the village of Nudol. Other airfield directors reported having meetings with police and security officials and being asked to identify aircraft on video footage taken by local residents.

Additionally, the authorities reportedly restricted the area in which members of one flying club are allowed to fly after their aircraft interfered with air defense systems.