Plane schedules disrupted, residents warned to stay indoors, sailors had to use GPS to get back to land because of thick smoke fumes from raging forest fires.
One day after aborted blastoff, new $6 billion Vostochny cosmodrome is finally in business.
A theme of modernisation was behind the prime minister's swing through Siberia this week.
Greenpeace claims up to 300 times more territory in Siberia is ablaze than officially acknowledged.
This was the generic response over the past year when I've told people about my plans to run in this Sunday's Siberian International Marathon.
Russian technology is capable of delivering aircraft to land on water and ice and bringing vital links to Siberian communities, Shoigu says.
Foreign visitors transiting on Russian airlines will be able to stay for 72 hours without documents as part of move to help boost tourism and economy.
Flights late on Thursday and on Friday suffered disruption due to smog caused by blazes in dry woodland made vulnerable by the current heat wave.
Hi-tech technologies have been used to track smoke plumes from forest fires burning across eastern Russia as they cross the Pacific.
The Russian president took part in the 'Flight of Hope', giving a flying lesson to young white cranes ahead of their epic 5,000 km migration.