Volcano Eruption Forces Aviation Alert in Russia’s Far East

(MENAFN) A powerful volcanic eruption in Russia’s Far East has propelled a dense ash cloud several kilometers into the atmosphere, spreading far beyond the eruption site and triggering flight safety warnings across the region.

The Shiveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula became active at around 11:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, sending ash high above the landscape. The eruption produced a column rising to roughly seven kilometers above sea level, while satellite observations showed the ash plume drifting about 110 kilometers to the west.

Because of the threat posed to aircraft, authorities declared an ‘orange’ aviation code for the affected area, indicating strict limitations or a halt on air traffic. Experts cautioned that the continuing volcanic activity could endanger low-altitude flights and warned that additional explosive events could push ash as high as 12 kilometers.

Shiveluch is situated approximately 450 kilometers from the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and about 50 kilometers from the town of Klyuchi, placing nearby communities and transport routes under close observation.

The eruption comes after increased seismic unrest earlier in the week. On Monday, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, an event scientists believe may have preceded the volcanic activity.

As one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Kamchatka, Shiveluch has a long record of major eruptions. In 2024, ash from the volcano rose to eight kilometers, prompting a more severe ‘red’ alert, while comparable orange-level warnings were issued following eruptions in September and November of 2025.

Volcanologists continue to closely track developments at the site, reporting ongoing growth of the volcano’s lava dome along with intense gas and steam emissions.

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