Update: Impending Missile Launch from Kotelnyy Island?

Gunnery/missile area closures near Kotelnyy Island - September 15-25, 2014 (Map courtesy of Google Earth)

Russia has reissued and extended an area closure near Kotelnyy Island:

ARCTIC.
LAPTEV SEA.
MISSILES. GUNNERY.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 2200Z TO 1800Z
COMMENCING DAILY 21 THRU 25 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY
75-53.4N 132-39.0E, 76-28.2N 133-08.0E,
76-50.8N 135-00.0E, 76-58.5N 136-26.1E,
75-57.7N 137-33.5E, 75-35.5N 137-00.0E,
75-37.5N 136-13.5E, 75-50.7N 135-41.0E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 261900Z SEP 14.

The new area closure (depicted in yellow above) is slightly different in shape when compared to the earlier closure (depicted in red) that remains in effect until tomorrow.

Moreover, the new area closure's effective dates (September 21-25) coincide nicely with the Vostok-2014 strategic command-staff exercise that kicked off on September 19 and runs through September 25. Whether or not this is related to the exercise, a missile launch from this Arctic island certainly will be linked by the media to the new "North" Joint Strategic Command. According to an ITAR-TASS unnamed "Ministry of Defense source," the new command will stand-up on/before December 1, 2014.