One flight a week: Russia will resume flights with four more countries

From September 21, Russia resumes flights with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus.

This was reported in the operational headquarters to combat the spread of coronavirus infection.

They specified that flights to these countries will be carried out once a week.

“As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to resume on a reciprocal basis international flights from September 21 with Kazakhstan (Nur-Sultan), Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek) and Belarus (Minsk),” RIA Novosti reported from the headquarters.

In addition, since September 27, Russia will also on a reciprocal basis resume air traffic with South Korea (Seoul).

Flights will also be operated once a week, the headquarters said.

In addition, the headquarters said that from September 21, Russia will cease all export flights "in connection with the resumption of transport links between states and the possibility for Russian citizens to return to their homeland by regular flights."

“As an alternative to export flights, aircraft returning to Russia after carrying out cargo, cargo-passenger, transit flights will be used on a commercial basis,” the headquarters said.

Recall that the Russian government announced the termination of regular and charter flights with other countries from March 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The exceptions were flights organized for the return of Russians from abroad, and individual flights on behalf of the government.

On July 10, the Federal Air Transport Agency reported that they had developed a scheme for the phased restoration of air traffic.

The department then explained that it would become possible after the authorities of specific states lifted restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens, as well as an assessment of the sanitary and epidemiological situation.

At the same time, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova noted that the authorities could begin to gradually remove restrictions on flights abroad from July 15.

This decision was made, since a decrease in the incidence of COVID-19 has been observed in Russia for a long time.

On July 24, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said during a government meeting that Russia will resume international flights on August 1 based on the epidemiological situation, morbidity rates and the principles of reciprocity.

At the first stage, three countries became available to Russians - Great Britain (London), Turkey (Ankara and Istanbul - from August 1, the resort cities of Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman - from August 10), as well as Tanzania (Zanzibar archipelago).

Tatyana Golikova then recalled that foreign citizens 72 hours before the flight to the Russian Federation must pass a test for coronavirus infection.

If there is no certificate, the test must be done within three days after arrival in the country.

Russians returning home can also take such a test within three days already on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In addition, visitors must complete a special application form.

These measures for entering the country continue to operate at the present time.

Also on August 1, the border with Abkhazia was opened.

On the same day, the operational headquarters for the fight against coronavirus announced that from August 15, Russia will resume flights with Switzerland.

In addition, on September 3, Mikhail Mishustin signed an order to resume flights to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Maldives and in the opposite directions.

“Egypt (Cairo) - three flights a week;

United Arab Emirates (Dubai) - two flights per week;

Republic of Maldives (Velana airport) - two flights per week, ”the Cabinet of Ministers said.

The decision was proposed by the operational headquarters based on a number of criteria.

In particular, in these countries, no more than 40 new cases of COVID-19 were detected within 14 days per 100 thousand population.

In addition, the frequency of flights between Russia and Switzerland was increased to four flights a week: two Aeroflot flights on the Moscow - Geneva - Moscow route and two Swiss Air flights on the Zurich - Moscow - Zurich route.

The government recalled that the operational headquarters continues to monitor the situation and work on expanding the list of countries with which air traffic can be resumed.

In addition, the authorities of Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro and Poland allowed entry for citizens of the Russian Federation.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of coronavirus cases worldwide has exceeded 30 million.

In first place in terms of the number of detected cases of COVID-19 are the United States (over 6.7 million), followed by India (over 5.2 million) and Brazil (almost 4.5 million).