The Atlantic correspondent Simon Shuster reported that a source who previously told him about a plan to block Moscow's airports has confirmed the operation has begun. According to the magazine's interlocutor, Volodymyr Zelensky's statement about the danger of Russian airspace meant precisely the launch of this operation.
The Atlantic first wrote about the plan, code-named M&Ms, in August. According to the outlet, it involves launching up to a thousand small, relatively cheap autonomous drones per day at Moscow's airports and surrounding areas. The drones, equipped with elements of artificial intelligence, are meant to independently find targets, overwhelming Russian air defenses and making it impossible for the aviation hub to operate.
As The Atlantic wrote, the plan was presented to Zelensky earlier this year. The Ukrainian president was cautious about it at the time, fearing it could be seen as a violation of the laws of war. The plan's authors proposed warning civilian airlines in advance to avoid Russian airports.
Zelensky made his first public warning on September 1, addressing foreign carriers and insurers. After that, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv had sent a notification to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) about the danger of Russian airspace.
Commenting on Zelensky's statement, Vladimir Putin called "threats of attacks on civilian aircraft" a "manifestation of state terrorism," which, he said, complicates the possibility of peace talks.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, from the evening of September 2 to the morning of September 3, 103 drones were shot down on approach to the capital. On the morning of September 3, Moscow airports again faced flight cancellations and delays.