Colcano has been assigned an orange aviation colour code, indicating a high likelihood of ash emissions and potential hazards to aviation

MOSCOW — For the first time in 600 years, the Krasheninnikov volcano in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula has erupted, sending a massive ash plume up to six kilometres into the sky, the Kamchatka branch of the Unified Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported.

Officials believe a volcano that erupted in Russia after hundreds of years may be connected to a huge earthquake last week. See video and photos.