A UFO reportedly shut down airspace over a Russian city as fighter jets were scrambled amid the chaos.
Passenger planes from Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg were grounded after reports of an mysterious object overhead.
Russian news outlet Baza reported a UFO had been spotted which prompted the shutdown.
It said fighter planes were dispatched to investigate.
Russian officials did not confirm the report of the UFO – but confirmed the airport was shut down.
The state-run TASS news agency said that airspace within a 124-mile radius of Pulkovo had been closed until 1.20pm local time.
Flight radar data showed passenger planes being forced to turn back as they approached St Petersburg.
Passengers are now facing delays of up to 12 hours from Pulkovo Airport.
Russian officials reportedly activated the "Carpet" plan – which stops aircraft from taking off and landing in the area.
The airspace closure also appeared to be affecting flights on route to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which requires planes to fly over St. Petersburg.
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It comes after a panic in the US where Washington ordered a slew of unidentified objects to be shot down.
And the chaos also comes as Russia continues to be fearful of Ukrainian strikes and sabotage on their soil potentially using drones.
Hours before the airport shut down a drone was spotted after a fire at an oil depot in Tuapse near Russian-occupied Crimea.
And just yesterday, a Russian spy plane was destroyed in a suspect drone attack in Belarus.
UFOs have taken centre stage in Washington in recent years after a series of credible reports by fighter pilots.
Pentagon officials have admitted there are objects in the sky which are as of yet unexplained – even setting up a new investigation team.
UFOs have even been redefined as UAP – Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.
The discussion moved from theoreticals to reality however after the sighing of a giant Chinese spy balloon.
US fighter planes shot the spy ship down – but then three more mysterious objects were blasted in the following week.
Limited information has since been released about the shootdowns – and China was also playing dumb.
Beijing then claimed it was also monitoring a UFO and preparing to shoot down the object over the Yellow Sea.
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