Russia’s Aeroflot Faces Chaos as Cyberattack Grounds Dozens of Flights
As participants in Amazon Associates and other programs, we earn from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you. For more details, see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, hit a rough patch on Monday when a massive cyberattack threw its operations into disarray. The carrier, a cornerstone of Russian travel, was forced to cancel over 50 round-trip flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Most of these flights were domestic, but some international routes to places like Minsk and Yerevan also took a hit. The chaos unfolded at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, where departure boards lit up with cancellations during a busy holiday season.
The trouble started early Monday when Aeroflot’s computer systems went haywire. Booking platforms, the airline’s website, and even its mobile app became unusable. Passengers crowded the airport, frustrated by the lack of clear updates. Many took to social media to vent, describing hours of waiting and rescheduled flights. One traveler at Volgograd airport complained about sitting for nearly 12 hours, with their flight pushed back multiple times. Another grumbled about being unable to reach customer service or process ticket refunds online.
Two pro-Ukrainian hacking groups, Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber Partisans, claimed responsibility for the attack. They boasted about infiltrating Aeroflot’s network for a year, crippling thousands of servers and accessing sensitive data. The hackers even threatened to leak personal information of Aeroflot passengers. While their claims haven’t been fully verified, the scale of the disruption speaks for itself. Russia’s Prosecutor’s Office quickly launched a criminal investigation, and the Kremlin called the situation ‘worrying.’
Aeroflot scrambled to limit the damage. By Tuesday, the airline said it had stabilized its schedule, with 93 percent of flights from Moscow running as planned. Still, an additional 22 outbound and 31 inbound flights were canceled that morning. The airline’s team worked around the clock, reportedly relying on manual systems to keep operations afloat. The Russian transport ministry insisted the issue was resolved, but experts warned the attack exposed serious vulnerabilities in Aeroflot’s outdated IT setup.
This isn’t the first time Russia’s aviation industry has faced trouble. Since the war in Ukraine began in 2022, drone attacks have caused frequent airport closures, leading to delays and cancellations. But this cyberattack feels different—more targeted and far-reaching. A former Aeroflot pilot called it a ‘serious disaster,’ pointing out the potential long-term fallout if customer data or internal communications were exposed. The airline’s shares dropped nearly 4 percent on Monday, though they recovered slightly by Tuesday.
The hackers’ motives seem tied to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Silent Crow’s statement ended with a defiant ‘Glory to Ukraine! Long live Belarus!’—a clear nod to their political stance. Belarusian Cyber Partisans, known for opposing Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, said they aimed to strike a blow against Russia’s infrastructure. The attack’s timing, during a peak travel period, amplified its impact, leaving travelers fuming and Aeroflot on the defensive.
For now, Aeroflot is focused on getting back to normal. The airline urged passengers to check flight statuses and retrieve luggage if their trips were canceled. But with the threat of data leaks looming and Russia’s digital defenses under scrutiny, this incident could cast a long shadow. I can’t help but wonder how travelers will regain trust in an airline hit this hard. For now, those planning to fly with Aeroflot might want to keep a close eye on updates.
