MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. Latvia has extended the closure of airspace over the country's border with Russia and Belarus at altitudes up to 6 km until Friday morning, a source in the air traffic control service told TASS.

"Initially, the air over the border with Russia and Belarus was closed until Thursday evening, September 18, but now the restriction has been extended until 07:00 a. m. Moscow time on Friday, September 19," the source said.

Earlier Defense Minister Andris Spruds said that the government will close the airspace to an altitude of 6 km in a 50-kilometer zone from the eastern border of the country from September 11 for a week on the recommendation from the army after a risk assessment. As Spruds pointed out, although there is currently no direct threat to the Baltic republic, preventive measures are necessary.

The air traffic control service source said the closure of airspace for flights at altitudes up to 6 km on the borders with Lithuania and Estonia was also extended until the morning of September 19.

An aviation source in an interview with TASS previously noted that closure of airspace on the Latvian borders should not affect transit flights to third countries, since they "are carried out at much higher levels.".