Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced the closure of part of the country’s airspace in the southeastern region. The restrictions apply to Kaakkois-Suomi, and pilots have been advised to take them into account when planning their flight routes.
According to media reports, the measure may be linked to security concerns amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and is considered a precautionary step.
The restrictions require pilots to consider the temporary airspace closure over the Kaakkois-Suomi region when planning flights. They apply to both manned aircraft and drones.
Sources from the Finnish Defence Forces’ General Staff said the measure is preventive in nature and connected to developments related to the war in Ukraine. The decision comes after Ukraine recently carried out drone attacks against targets in Russia’s Leningrad Oblast, an area located close to the Finnish border.
The Finnish Air Force is also preparing special exercises aimed at countering potential drone attacks in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, as well as in the regions of Kymenlaakso and South Karelia, which border Russia.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Helsinki Rescue Department in Finland spent four days studying the experience of Ukrainian emergency responders in dealing with the consequences of war.
