FACT CHECK: No, Moscow Airport Was Not Hit By A Missile Attack

A video shared on Facebook claims an airport in Moscow was attacked by missiles, turning it into a “sea of flames.”

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that Moscow Airport was hit by a missile attack. The video of the plane on fire used in the alleged report predates the current Russian-Ukraine conflict.

Fact Check:

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several Russian regions bordering Ukraine have been attacked with missile strikes, according to The Moscow Times. An explosion recently occurred at Russia’s Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery, which was likely struck by a Ukrainian drone, The Guardian reported.

The Facebook post, which links to a YouTube video played over 52,000 times,, claims a missile hit a Russian airplane, causing it to catch fire, killing 50 passengers onboard. “MOSCOW Airport Turned into a Sea of Flames After the Missile Attack,” the post’s caption reads. (RELATED: No, This Is Not Footage Of A Ukrainian Missile Blowing Up A Russian Naval Vessel)

The claim is not true. No press releases from Moscow Airport or the Russian Ministry of Defense make reference to an attack at any airport or against any airline flight recently. There are no news reports suggesting an attack against any airport in Moscow took place.

A reverse image search revealed the video of the airplane on fire featured in the video is from an Aeroflot plane crash in May 2019. Approximately 41 people were killed in the incident, while the cause of the crash was entirely known, according to BBC News. The article makes no mention of a missile impact or attack on the plane.

This is not the first time a transportation incident in the country has been misattributed to the current Ukrainian conflict. Check Your Fact recently debunked an image from 2017 that claimed to show a Russian military cargo train derailed near Ukraine.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases