Due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the Russian Federation, flights between the countries have stopped since March 27. Only flights to the Russian Federation were allowed, intended to return home to compatriots.
On Saturday, August 1st, Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab announced: the borders between Russia and Abkhazia have become open. This removes all restrictions associated with the epidemiological situation. Now travelers can safely visit this country. The Russians took the news with a bang. A queue of travelers lined up in front of the border. They were admitted both by car and on foot. But the Abkhaz were not unanimous in their opinion on the opening of the borders. About 60% approved the decision of the authorities, the rest consider the decision to be hasty or find it difficult to answer at all.
The decision came into force after a decree was signed by Mikhail Mishustin, the Russian prime minister, which agreed to open the Russian-Abkhaz border.
Marina Zhupanova, chief customs inspector of the Sochi customs, shared information on the number of travelers. After the order, about fifty cars left Abkhazia for Russia, and about 300 cars left Russia for the Black Sea republic.
On July 31, during a meeting of the operational headquarters, it was said that it was necessary to remove all restrictions and resume air traffic. It was led by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. The decision was taken unanimously: to open the borders. The conclusions of Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the sanitary and epidemiological situation were taken into account. The readiness of Abkhazia to accept new travelers was also analyzed.
Since August 1, Russia has restored air travel with Tanzania, Great Britain and Turkey. Flights between Moscow and Geneva will be resumed only from August 15th.
