August M
When a country is locked in a bitter conflict, the front lines rarely stay in one place.
Danger is gradually creeping closer to the capital. Now, a massive new security net is being deployed over one of the world’s largest cities, reports WP Wiadomości.
Securing the sky
Russian authorities are preparing to lock down the airspace around their capital. The rules change on June 1. Civilian aircraft will be totally blocked from flying at lower altitudes.
According to a report from WP Wiadomości, the strict new rules target any non-commercial flight traveling below 5,100 meters. It is a drastic measure. The decision directly responds to a relentless wave of Ukrainian drone strikes hitting deep inside Russian territory.
The closed airspace covers a staggering amount of land. It stretches westward all the way to the border with Belarus, and pushes north until it hits the Saint Petersburg air zone.
Mapping the blackout
Looking east, the boundary reaches the Yekaterinburg and Samara aviation sectors. The southern edge links up with regions that have been firmly closed off since the fighting originally started.
Despite the sweeping nature of the ban, some aircraft will still be allowed to operate. Major airlines will not face disruptions.
Normal vacation charters and standard timetabled passenger flights can bypass the strict altitude boundaries entirely. Emergency medical teams will keep their access.
Medical evacuation helicopters can continue flying without interference. Government officials have also carved out a few clear exceptions for specialized aerial work.
A growing problem
Planes handling chemical spraying or infrastructure monitoring will retain their clearance. Government contractors are also safe. The exact duration of this massive security measure remains a total mystery.
The domestic aviation industry has already suffered heavy blows. A collection of eight prominent regional runways scattered throughout southern Russia are still facing indefinite shutdowns, according to reporting by WP Wiadomości.
That shutdown list includes transport hubs in Anapa, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov-on-Don, and Simferopol. Meanwhile, the few facilities that are still operating face constant daily disruptions.
Four major airports in Moscow regularly suspend operations to deal with incoming drone threats. The main terminal in Saint Petersburg faces the same chaos. This new altitude ban is simply the latest desperate attempt to secure a vulnerable airspace.
Sources: WP Wiadomości
