Tatyana Golikova chaired a meeting of the Emergency Response Centre for preventing the import and spread of the novel coronavirus infection in Russia.
Following the discussion and considering the epidemiological situation in certain countries, it was decided to resume regular air flights with the following countries on a reciprocal basis from 24 July 2021:
- France: Moscow-Paris and Moscow-Nice, four flights a week on each route; St Petersburg-Paris and St Petersburg-Nice, two flights a week on each route;
- The Czech Republic: Moscow-Prague, four flights a week.
It was also decided to increase the number of regular flights to Austria on a reciprocal basis from 24 July 2021 (St Petersburg-Vienna, two flights a week), Belgium (St Petersburg-Brussels, two flights a week), Bulgaria (Moscow-Sofia, Moscow-Varna, Moscow-Burgas, from four to seven flights a week on each route, St Petersburg-Sofia, St Petersburg-Varna, St Petersburg-Burgas, four flights a week on each route, Yekaterinburg-Varna, one flight a week), Hungary (Moscow-Budapest, from two to four flights a week, St Petersburg-Budapest, two flights a week), Greece (Moscow-Thessaloniki and Moscow-Heraklion, from five to seven flights a week on each route), Lebanon (Moscow-Beirut, from one to three flights a week), Croatia (Moscow-Zagreb, from two to three flights a week; Moscow-Split and Moscow-Dubrovnik, from two to five flights a week on each route) and Ethiopia (Moscow-Addis Ababa, from three to four flights a week).
It was also decided to resume flights from international airports in Arkhangelsk, Novokuznetsk and Orsk to foreign countries from 24 July, with due account of the Government Directive No. 635-R of 16 March 2020, and in compliance with essential sanitary and epidemiological requirements.
Members of the Emergency Response Centre also discussed the possibility of resuming air flights to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh following the signing of an executive order by President Vladimir Putin on lifting the ban on passenger flights from Russia to Egyptian cities. As per an instruction by Tatyana Golikova, Head of the Emergency Response Centre, Rospotrebnadzor Head Anna Popova held talks, via videoconference, with members of the Egyptian delegation headed by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El Enany. In an effort to protect the health of Russian tourists, the parties agreed to send a Russian delegation to Egypt to assess the epidemiological situation, the preventive measures at tourist hotels and resorts, and the capabilities of national laboratories and medical institutions. Following the Russian delegation’s visit, the Emergency Response Centre will decide whether it is possible to resume air flights to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
The Emergency Response Centre recommends that travelers become vaccinated against the COVID-19 infection before flying to foreign states.
