Russian authorities announced plans on Monday to end the ban on flights to and from 52 countries starting April 9, as Moscow continues to lift Covid-19-related restrictions.
The measure would apply to “friendly countries,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, referring to nations which did not join in on Western sanctions on Moscow.
According to the prime minister, the step comes as Covid-19 cases have been on a steady decline over the past few weeks.
The list of nations includes Algeria, Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Israel, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mauritius, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives, Morocco, Mozambique, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines , Saudi Arabia, the Seychelles, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
Moscow had previously lifted curbs on air links with 15 nations, including the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Qatar, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, UAE, Turkey, Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, South Korea, and Egypt.
However, the EU, UK, and the US airspace remain closed for Russian planes as part of sanctions on the country over the military operation in Ukraine.
Russian airspace is also closed to those countries that joined the flight ban.
For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section