Shots ring out across the night sky in the Chechen Republic capital of Grozny, as new tensions flare between Russia and Ukraine.

Shots ring out between Russia and Ukraine in Grozny

MILITANTS have killed at least three traffic police officers in the Chechen capital, Grozny, Russian security officials say.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said the officers had been killed when they tried to stop the gunmen’s cars.

Although unrest is common in Russia’s North Caucasus, forceful security measures adopted by Kadyrov have spared the city of Grozny of significant violence for several years.

IMAGES: Reportedly pictures taken of militants on the way to attack #Grozny Press House. Described as "organized." pic.twitter.com/ddZvVWHUuV — Military Studies (@ArmedResearch) December 4, 2014

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports Moscow has closed its airspace to all civilian traffic.

Reports on Twitter state there are fighter jets overhead as military helicopters cris-cross the city.

Russian media state President Vladmir Putin rushed to the Kremlin at 1.15am local time in response to reports of the outbreak of violence.

Grozny Press House in Chechnya, Russia on flames. pic.twitter.com/KpcViKZZVk via @ArmedResearch — PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) December 4, 2014

The Moscow-based National Anti-terrorist Committee said in a statement that after the attack on the traffic police, gunmen occupied a publishing house in the centre of Grozny. It said security services, police and emergency services personnel surrounded the building.

Kadyrov said on his Instagram account, a social media website he regularly uses to issue public statements, that the traffic police officers were killed when they attempted to stop the cars carrying the gunmen.

Грозный. Пишут, что перестрелка началась на проспекте Путина. http://t.co/sg1DybI543 — ЄВРОМАЙДАН (@euromaidan) December 4, 2014

State news agency RIA-Novosti later cited an unnamed law enforcement source as stating that five police officers were killed and that others were injured in the clash with the armed gang.

Life News, a news outlet believed to have links to Russian security services, cited law enforcement officials as saying about 15 people seized three cars late Wednesday in the village of Shalazhi and drove them to Grozny, some 50 kilometres away. Kadyrov said in his statement that the group of gunmen that took over the publishing house was composed of about five or six people.

The National Anti-terrorist Committee said in its statement that a counterterrorism regime was imposed on the center of Grozny. That officially allows heightened security measures to be enacted and the announcement typically indicates the imminent use of heavy force to quash unrest.

Multiple unconfirmed amateur pictures posted online appeared to show the publishing house occupied by the gunmen in flames.

Kadyrov said the situation was calm and that all essential public services would still be operating, but he urged Grozny residents to exercise caution.

BREAKING: Audio message reportedly sent out from militants currently attacking #Grozny, #Russia. https://t.co/H7rIzEQBWe — Military Studies (@ArmedResearch) December 4, 2014

“I ask residents in areas where (security) operations are being carried out to abide by safety measures, and not to go out onto the streets without cause or to go near their windows,” he wrote. “All the talk about the city being under the control of military is absolutely false.”

The Kavkaz Center website, which serves as a mouthpiece for Islamic militant groups operating in Russia’s North Caucasus, was linked to a video message by an individual claiming responsibility for the attacks unfolding Thursday morning. The man in the video claimed to be operating under orders from Chechen Islamist leader Aslan Byutukayev, known to his followers as Emir Khamzat.

The video could not immediately be verified.

A few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya was plunged into a full-scale war when separatist rebels pursued independence for the republic. The violence was largely confined to that small republic, but rebels ventured into other parts of Russia.

A fragile peace settlement was reached with Moscow until 1999, when an insurgency movement increasingly inspired by radical Islamist ideas reignited the conflict. A bloody military crackdown succeeded by years of aggressive rule by Kremlin-backed leader Kadyrov has quietened the region, pushing unrest to troubled neighboring provinces.

Kadyrov is widely denounced for human rights abuses, including allegations of killing opponents. He has also imposed some Islamic restrictions on the region, including mandatory public headscarves for women.

BREAKING #Moscow locals confirm beside heavy heli traffic fighter jets are flying over #Moscow. This drill is for real & serious shit! — lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) December 4, 2014