Georgia resumes flights to Russia

Georgian officials announced the resumption of direct flights to Russia, a move that immediately drew criticism from Ukraine and the European Union.

Georgian Airways will resume direct flights to Russia from May 20, the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority said today. Georgian Airways will operate seven flights to Moscow a week.

Georgia's Civil Aviation Authority announced on May 15 that it had granted Russian airline Azimuth permission to operate flights between Moscow and Tbilisi. The move comes after Russia last week lifted a ban on direct flights between the two countries, which had been in place since 2019, and visa-free travel for Georgian citizens.

The European Union (EU) and Ukraine have criticized Georgia. The EU expressed regret over Georgia's decision, in the context of the alliance closing its airspace to Russian aircraft in response to Moscow's campaign in Ukraine.

"The move by Georgian authorities raises doubts about the country's path to EU membership," said Peter Stano, spokesman for the EU's foreign affairs agency.

"The world is isolating Russia to force it to stop the war, but Georgia welcomes Russian airlines and resumes flights to Moscow," Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, wrote on Twitter, adding that "20% of Georgia's territory is still occupied by Russia with impunity," referring to the two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russian and Georgian officials have not commented on the information.

A Georgian Airways Boeing 737 takes off from Schiphol Airport, Netherlands in September 2021. Photo: Reuters

Georgia is a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus region. Russia-Georgia relations have been tense since the military conflict broke out in 2008, when Georgia attacked the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia launched a military intervention in Georgia on August 8, 2008, which ended after five days of fighting. Georgia suffered heavy losses in troops and defense infrastructure.

Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and maintained a military presence in the two regions, claiming that this was in line with the wishes of the local people. Georgia and the West protested, saying that this was an act of "illegal invasion". Russia and Georgia later severed diplomatic relations.

Georgia has recently sought to balance its relations with Russia and its desire to join the EU. Georgia has not joined Western sanctions against Russia but has also said it will not allow Moscow to use its territory to circumvent sanctions.

Georgia applied to join the EU along with Ukraine and Moldova last year, after Russia launched a campaign in its neighbor. Brussels granted candidate status to Kiev and Chisinau in June 2022, while requiring Tbilisi to implement reforms first.

Location of Russia and Georgia. Graphics: DW

Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, AFP )

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