2 St Petersburg bound aircraft land at Helsinki after closure of Pulkovo Airport

Two aircraft bound for St Petersburg, Russia made unscheduled landings at the Helsinki Airport early Sunday and early Saturday nights respectively following closure of the Pulkovo Airport, said Finnish Coast Guard.

The Russian authorities closed the Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg following a large-scale drone attack by Ukraine, local and international media reported.

A flight of Nesma Airlines, which departed from Hurghada, Egypt landed at the Helsinki Airport early Sunday night, said Coast Guard in a post on its social media platform X.

The aircraft with 176 passengers onboard made the unscheduled landing at Helsinki Airport at about 1:35 a.m. It refuelled at Helsinki and later left Finland for St Petersburg.

Earlier, another aircraft of Red Sea Airlines, which also departed from Hurghada Airport in Egypt landed at Helsinki Airport early Saturday night, said Coast Guard in another post on its X.

T

he charter flight diverted to Helsinki, after a drone alert forced the Russian authority to close the Pulkovo Airport.

The aircraft also refuelled at Helsinki Airport and departed for St Petersburg.

Earlier in March, 2026, two aircraft bound for St Petersburg, Russia landed at the Helsinki Airport following closure of the St Petersburg´s airport due to attacks by Ukraine on Russian ports.