Disruptions, disorder, and extended wait times at Sheremetyevo Airport following hackers' proclamation, leading to havoc
In a shocking turn of events, Aeroflot, Russia's largest airline, has been hit by a massive cyberattack, causing significant disruption at airports across the country. The attack, claimed by the pro-Ukrainian hacker group Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber-Partisans, has resulted in over 100 flights being canceled and many others delayed across domestic and some international routes, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Belarus, Armenia, and Uzbekistan.
The incident began on July 28, 2025, with the hackers taking control of and destroying critical Aeroflot systems, including thousands of servers and sensitive internal data. As a result, Aeroflot’s website became unavailable, departure boards at airports displayed widespread cancellations, and passenger lines grew long, especially at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, Aeroflot's main hub.
The situation at Sheremetyevo airport has resulted in chaos and many dissatisfied people. Airport staff have been assisting stranded passengers by providing water, sandwiches, and food vouchers, and some terminals asked passengers to leave to reduce crowding. Passengers have reported waiting for several hours at the airport due to the disruptions.
Political scientist Sergei Markov believes the airport outages were carried out with Ukraine's support. Meanwhile, public figure Yana Poplavskaya wrote a message of support to stranded Aeroflot passengers, expressing her sympathies for the inconvenience they are facing. Some passengers have had their planned vacations ruined due to the airport disruptions.
Aeroflot has acknowledged the attack, blaming a "technical failure," and promised refunds or rebooking once systems are restored. However, the full recovery is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars and could take time. Russian prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation, and there is high concern in Russia about the broad impact of such cyberattacks on major public service companies.
As of this morning, Aeroflot has already canceled 49 flights, according to "Live Kuban". The Cyber Partisans, a group of hacktivist hackers from Belarus, have been actively attacking Russian targets since 2022, including government institutions and industrial enterprises.
In summary, Russian airports, particularly those hosting Aeroflot flights, are experiencing considerable chaos and disruption as the airline recovers from this extensive cyberattack. Passengers are advised to check their flight status regularly and to contact Aeroflot for any updates or assistance.
The cyberattack on Aeroflot, Russia's largest airline, has been linked to the pro-Ukrainian hacker group Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber-Partisans, causing chaos and significant disruptions at airports across the country, and resulting in criminal investigations by Russian prosecutors. This incident highlights the increasing role of cybersecurity in general-news and crime-and-justice, as modern technology continues to be a vulnerable target for hackers. Passengers should stay updated on flight statuses and seek assistance from Aeroflot during this time of recovery.
