Moscow Airspace Closed Amid Assassination Fears

Moscow airspace has been closed to all private planes and helicopters due to concerns over potential assassination attempts on President Vladimir Putin. The restricted area, which extends up to an altitude of 16,700 feet, covers a region approximately four times the size of the United Kingdom, stretching from the Belarus border in the west to the St. Petersburg flight zone in the north and the Urals in the east. This closure coincides with heightened fears regarding the capability of long-range Ukrainian drones to reach Moscow. Notices to Airmen are expected to be issued soon, following orders from the Transport Ministry. Air defense systems around Moscow are being updated to treat low-level, non-scheduled aircraft as suspicious. All flight schools and pilot training will be prohibited, although private jets belonging to certain oligarchs are anticipated to continue operations. The airspace closure may serve as a preventive measure ahead of anticipated Ukrainian reprisals in response to ongoing air strikes on Kyiv. An anti-Putin underground group, known as Black Spark, has emerged, pledging to overthrow Putin by force and claiming to build a network of resistance within Russia. The group's manifesto calls for armed resistance and criticizes the Russian invasion of Ukraine.