Russia suspends air connection with Georgia from Jul 8

MOSCOW, Jun 24 (PRIME) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree prohibiting domestic airlines from performing flights to Georgia from July 8, the Kremlin said late on June 21.

"From July 8, 2019, Russian airlines will be temporarily prohibited from performing flights, including commercial flights, from Russia to Georgia," the document read.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this a forced step in response to Tbilisi's actions.

"This is about a forced restriction, introduced by the Russian side, whose aim is to ensure the security of the Russian citizens in light of extremist activities presently taking place in Georgia," he said.

Protests swept Tbilisi on June 20 to oppose participation of Russian delegates in the session of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy.

Russian air carries, including Aeroflot, Ural Airlines and S7 Group, released statements to confirm the suspension of sales of tickets to Georgia from July 8.

A representative of the Transport Ministry said that flights of Georgian air companies to Russia will also be suspended from July 8.

Director of the Federal Agency for Tourism Zarina Doguzova said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television channel that all local travel companies confirmed their readiness to suspend selling package tours to Georgia for the ban period after the authority had asked them to.

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