Russia Resumes Flights with 8 Countries

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) announced, on Friday, resuming flights with eight countries after canceling the COVID-19 flights' ban.

The countries are; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Iran.

Rosaviatsiya extended the flights restrictions in a number of cities in southern and central Russia until March 14.

“Until March 14, 2022, 03:45 Moscow time, the temporary restrictions on the operation of airports in a number of cities in southern and central Russia has been extended,” the agency announced in a statement.

“Flights are temporarily restricted to the following airports: Anapa, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Gelendzhik, Krasnodar, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov-on-Don, Simferopol, Elista,” it added.

Last December, the Russian government fully blocked entry for foreigners from nine African countries and Hong Kong due to the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Furthermore, the government canceled the exceptions for the holders of diplomatic passports and business visas, as well as for some other categories. The decree was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The banned countries included; Botswana, Zimbabwe, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Eswatini, and the Republic of South Africa.