MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. Flights to and from Moscow’s Vnukovo, Domodedovo airports were temporarily restricted in the early morning to ensure safety, but at 4:30 a.m. Moscow time, the restrictions on arriving and departing flights were lifted, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) told reporters.

"Early this morning, on August 22, 2023, flights to Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports were temporarily restricted to ensure the safety of civil aircraft. Of these, nine passenger flights were redirected to alternative airports," the statement said.

After the restrictions were lifted, the passengers of the diverted flights were delivered to the destination airports. At present, the airports of the Moscow hub and Zhukovsky airport are operating in normal mode.

The agency emphasized that during the period of temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of flights, flight crews, air traffic controllers and airport ground services took all necessary measures to ensure flight safety.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Kiev's attempt to attack facilities in Russia with four drones was foiled. Two unmanned aerial vehicles were downed by the Russian Air Defense Troops over the Moscow Region, and two others were suppressed and downed over the Bryansk Region.