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Putin fully informed about closure of airspace over St. Petersburg — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov declined to discuss whether the incidents in St. Petersburg and Tuapse are related to the alleged incident at the airfield near Minsk

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been fully briefed about the recent closure of airspace over St. Petersburg, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport banned incoming flights for a while on Tuesday morning and all airspace within a 200 kilometer radius was closed. The latest reports indicate all restrictions have been lifted. Officials haven’t yet given any reason for the measures.

"The president has all the information about this. <…> Let’s go by the statements and clarifications from the aviation authorities or the military that have already been given and that will follow," Peskov told reporters, when asked if the Kremlin was aware of the reason for closing the airspace over St. Petersburg.

He added that this issue should be addressed by those who are in charge of such issues.

"It would be wrong for us to talk about it," the spokesman said.

Peskov declined to discuss whether the incidents in St. Petersburg and Tuapse are related to the alleged incident at the airfield near Minsk. He referred the inquiries to the Russian Defense Ministry. "The Kremlin is unable to analyze all these incidents, all this information. This is done by special services and the Defense Ministry. Therefore, I recommend that you reach out to them," Peskov said.

Earlier, news media reported allegations that an airfield near Minsk had come under attack. The Kremlin declined to comment on the reports. As Peskov noted, "Belarus denied [these reports], and there’s nothing more to add." Earlier on February 28, news media and Telegram channels reported that a fire had broken out at an oil storage facility in the southern town of Tuapse.

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Vladimir Putin Dmitry Peskov

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