This morning, 200 square kilometers of airspace were closed over the city of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region of Russia.

According to the Russian media, it was done because of an unknown aerial object.

The local Pulkovo Airport temporarily stopped receiving and departing passenger planes.

Flight delays were announced until 12 p.m. local time. All flights passing through the airspace of St. Petersburg and parts of the region were turned back.

According to the Russian media, the “Carpet” plan was used in this area.

In Russia, such measures are usually taken after the illegal crossing of air borders is detected, or when unidentified objects are recorded in the airspace.

This signal means that all aircraft must immediately land or leave the danger area.

Russian Telegram channels and other media claimed that an unknown object was allegedly spotted 160-200 kilometers in the sky from St. Petersburg. Because of this, it was necessary to close the airspace in this area.

It is reported that fighter jets even allegedly took off into the sky.

Around 11 am Kyiv time, civilian flights from the Pulkovo Airport and flights over the Leningrad region were resumed.

As previously reported, on February 23, an attack aircraft crashed near the border with Ukraine in Russia. The crash happened in the Belgorod region.

According to preliminary information, the accident occurred in the Valuysky urban district on the outskirts of the village of Orekhovo. The military aircraft crash could have been caused by a technical malfunction.