Moscow, May 19 – From Friday, Russia and Georgia will resume flights between the two countries, which were interrupted in 2019: the first flight from Moscow to Tbilisi will be operated by the Russian airline Azimuth.
Flights to the capital of Georgia will be operated daily on SSJ100 domestic aircraft. Flights will be operated from Moscow Vnukovo Airport. Georgian Airlines Georgian Airlines will resume flights to Moscow from 20 May. The foreign airline will fly from Tbilisi to Vnukovo on a Boeing 737.
in the cold
The Russian government introduced the visa regime with Georgia in December 2000 – this was due to the fight against the movement of militants, many of whom took refuge in Georgia. In response, Georgia also introduced a visa regime for Russians, but in 2012 it unilaterally introduced a visa-free regime.
Since 2008, there have been no diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Relations between Georgia and Russia escalated after Tbilisi protested the visit of Russian deputies who participated in the International Conference on Orthodoxy. Protests swept the capital of Georgia in June 2019. Against this background, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, from July 8, 2019, Rossiya airlines were temporarily banned from flying to Georgia, and tour operators and agents were advised not to sell tickets to this country. On the same date, the decision of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation to suspend flights of Georgian Airlines to Russia entered into force.
In the heat
On May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the flight ban. The head of state also abolished the visa regime with Georgia from May 15. At the same time, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation announced that Russian airlines are preparing to resume flights to Georgia, as it is planned to operate seven direct flights from Moscow to Tbilisi and return on domestic aircraft every week.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rescinded its June 21, 2019 recommendation for Russian citizens to refrain from traveling to Georgia.
According to the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, the cancellation of visas and the resumption of flights is a humane decision. He said that the Russian authorities have long received appeals from citizens and businessmen of both countries, public associations, scientific circles and cultural figures, asking them to make these decisions.
