Ukraine imposes sanctions against Georgian Airways, which resumed direct flights to Russia
Ukrainian President Volidymyr Zelensky also imposed sanctions against the founder of the company, Tamaz Gaiashvili.
In total, Zelensky’s decree this time sanctions are imposed against 192 individuals. These are mainly citizens of Russia, as well as against 291 legal entities, including those from Belarus. The restrictions will be in force for 10 years.
In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed Russian airlines to fly directly to Georgia and canceled the visa regime for Georgian citizens. A few days later, Georgia’s Georgian Airways also began daily flights to Moscow.
This warming of relations sparked a series of protests in Georgia, with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili calling Putin’s decrees “another Russian provocation”.
The European Union and the United States also opposed the restoration of direct air links between Georgia and Russia. Tamaz Gaiaashvili, the owner of Georgian Airways, told the Russian news agency TASS that he was “not interested in Zelensky’s sanctions”.
