Russia’s travel industry hit out Saturday at a decision by the Kremlin to suspend flights to Georgia as a politically motivated move that has little to do with safety concerns.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning Russian airlines from flying to Georgia from July 8 late Friday in response to anti-government rallies in the ex-Soviet neighbour.
The outbreak of protests was sparked by a parliamentary address in Tbilisi by a Moscow lawmaker earlier this week.
The Kremlin said the ban was to “ensure Russia’s national security and protect Russian nationals from criminal and other unlawful activities” and a taskforce was being put together to oversee the return of Russians from Georgia.