Airspace around St. Petersburg closed for hour due to air defense training

This is reported by Russian Telegram channels.

According to Baza, planes are currently unable to arrive at or depart from Pulkovo airport due to the airspace being closed within a 200 km radius. In St. Petersburg, the Kover (Carpet) plan was announced in response to any illegal border crossings by aircraft or UFO sightings. Fighter jets have reportedly been deployed. 

Flightradar24 shows that no civilian planes are currently flying over St. Petersburg, and flights passing through the airspace are being rerouted. Flights from Moscow make circles or turn back.

Petersburg authorities have confirmed that Pulkovo airport is not currently receiving or sending planes. 

At 11:00 a.m. Kyiv time, Ural Airlines announced that the airspace over St. Petersburg had been reopened, and a plane from Yekaterinburg was approaching Pulkovo airport.

The Russian Defense Ministry later stated that the air defense forces were conducting training on interaction with civilian air traffic control in the western zone of responsibility. The training involved fighter jets that took off to intercept and identify a conditional target.

Photo - Flightradar24