Support The Moscow Times!

Georgia to Launch Transit Flights Between Russia and Europe

BMEIA / Gruber (CC BY 2.0)

Georgian Airways plans to launch transit flights connecting Russia to European countries via Tbilisi, the airline's founder said in an interview with Russian media outlet RTVI.

Russia has been largely cut off from Europe since its invasion of Ukraine prompted the European Union to ban Russian airlines from its airspace and vice versa. Russians traveling to Europe — and Europeans traveling to Russia — have since had to travel via cities like Istanbul, Dubai, Yerevan and Belgrade.

Georgian Airways plans to operate flights to Vienna, Milan, Paris, Thessaloniki and Larnaca starting June 15, said Tamaz Gaiashvili, the airline's founder.

Direct flights between Russia and Georgia resumed this month following a four-year pause.

Russian authorities also introduced a 90-day visa-free regime for Georgian citizens.

The resumption of flights with Russia sparked opposition protests in Georgia, a country that in 2008 fought a brief but bloody war with Moscow that resulted in an ongoing Russian military presence in 20% of its territory.

Georgia’s government did not join in international sanctions which punished Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.

But the country has been a key refuge for thousands of Russians who left their country since February 2022 to escape political persecution or mobilization.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more