Russia lifts flight ban with Georgia, introduces visa-free regime

The Kremlin said on Wednesday (May 10) that Russia was lifting a flight ban with Georgia and President Putin was introducing a visa-free regime. Russia has fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008. Decrees were released on Wednesday declaring the lifting of the flight ban and a 90-day visa-free regime for Georgian citizens from May 15.

Russia banned air travel with Georgia in 2019 after anti-Moscow rallies in the country.

Russia and Georgia share a complicated history. Mikheil Saakashvili, former president of Georgia, is seen as one of Moscow's top enemies. He is now in jail.

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In 2008, after years of tensions and Saakashvili's efforts to forge closer ties with the West, Moscow fought a brief but bloody war with Georgia.

However, current authorities in Georgia have been accused by the opposition of forming close ties with the Kremlin in recent years.

Ruling party in Georgia insists that it is committed to Georgia's membership of the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organistaion (NATO). Georgia's membership in these two blocs has been enshrined in its constitution and opinion polls show that 80 per cent of the populationsupports the country being in these two blocs.

Georgia's pro-EU president immediately slammed Moscow's latest decision.

"Another Russian provocation!" the country's figurehead president, Salome Zourabichvili, said on Twitter.

"Resuming direct flights and lifting (the) visa ban with Georgia is unacceptable as long as Russia continues its aggression on Ukraine and occupies our territory!"

The Kremlin's decrees on Georgia come as Moscow's offensive in Ukraine stretches into its second year.

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