Russia has fewer international flights than Soviet Union once had
Photo: sanctions against Russia are hitting air travel (Getty Images)
This summer, passengers from Russian airports will be able to fly directly to only 31–32 countries worldwide. The reduction in international routes is linked to sanctions, conflicts, and crises in various regions, according to the Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) Telegram channel.
The Soviet Union had three times as many air routes
According to Russian tour operators, in the 1980s the USSR had direct air connections with around 80–100 countries worldwide.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) notes that even during the Iron Curtain era, the Soviet Union’s international route network was significantly broader than Russia’s current one.
Some destinations during Soviet times were classified as domestic flights, but even taking this into account, today’s Russian flight geography has shrunk considerably.
Where Russians can fly now
From Russian airports, flights are currently available to unrecognized Abkhazia, Iran, Israel, the UAE, Oman, Afghanistan, as well as CIS and Asian countries.
Available destinations include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Vietnam, North Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Türkiye, and Serbia.
However, many of these routes are considered unattractive for tourists. The Russian Association of Tour Operators admits that only about 15 destinations are actually in high demand.
It is also worth noting that, following sanctions and international restrictions, Russia has still not restored air connections with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria, Venezuela, and Cuba.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian intelligence had obtained internal Russian documents indicating serious problems in the Russian economy.
It was also reported that the European Union imposed new sanctions on Russian officials and organizations involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children and their subsequent ideological indoctrination.
