Russia Closes Astrakhan Airspace! Possible Re-launch of Olesnik!
Russian social media and Telegram channels report that from August 4 to 8, 2025, the airspace over the Astrakhan region will be completely closed to civil aircraft, and neither Russian authorities nor Russian airlines have issued official comments yet.
Similar civilian flight bans have been implemented multiple times before, especially before the Olesnik medium-range ballistic missile hit its target in Dnipropetrovsk, and such bans are generally considered related to military operations.
Analysts believe that closing the skies may be related to testing or preparing to use new weapons, especially after the Russian Foreign Ministry announced today to cancel the suspension of deploying medium- and short-range missiles. It is quite possible that the Olesnik will be re-launched to intimidate Ukraine and its Western allies. The Olesnik missiles launched from the Kaptzalyar test site in Astrakhan Oblast can reach the Yuzhnyi Mashinostroitelny Plant within 15 minutes.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839568281204736/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.