Russia has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) warning about the temporary closure of airspace over a military training ground previously used to launch medium-range ballistic missiles of the “Oreshnik” type toward Ukraine. The restriction will remain in effect for 24 hours.
This was reported by OSINT channels on Telegram late on May 9.
According to the data, on May 8, 2025, Russia’s NOTAM center published a notice for the Rostov Flight Information Region (FIR), designated as QRTCA — indicating a temporary restriction of airspace.
The restricted area covers approximately 110 by 70 kilometers, including the Kapustin Yar testing site in Russia’s Volgograd region and part of the neighboring Saratov region.
The closure will be in effect from 06:00 on May 12 to 06:00 on May 13.
Analysts note that such warnings usually mean complete closure of the airspace for all flights except those with special clearance from Russia’s Ministry of Defense. The altitude range SFC-UNL suggests that the object in question could reach the stratosphere or higher, which is typical for medium- and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles.
However, experts emphasize that this does not necessarily mean Russia is preparing to launch an “Oreshnik” strike against Ukraine. Previous examples show that such warnings may be related to missile tests conducted at the site.
It is also worth noting that on May 9, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv warned that Russia might be preparing for a large-scale attack on Ukraine.
Earlier, on May 7, an expert commented on whether there is a real threat of an “Oreshnik” strike on Kyiv. That same day, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation stated that citizens would be warned in advance if such a threat arises.