Russian Cabinet Orders Full Ban On Regular, Charter Flights Starting Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2020) The Russian government has tasked the Federal Air Transport Agency with banning all regular and charter flights starting Friday, apart from flights for bringing Russians back home from abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"To ensure, from midnight of March 27, 2020 [March 26, 21:00 GMT], a ban on regular and charter flights conducted from Russian airports to airports of foreign countries and in the opposite direction, apart from flights for bringing Russian citizens to the territory of the Russian Federation from foreign countries due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (in compliance with lists compiled by the Russian Foreign Ministry), and flights conducted under special decisions of the Russian Federation's government," the cabinet said in a statement.

The Russian cabinet also requested that the Foreign Ministry provide assistance to Russians until their return home. Money should be allocated from foreign missions' funds, and the Russian Finance Ministry should provide additional funds, if needed. The cabinet also tasked the Russian Foreign Ministry with recommending those Russian citizens who cannot return home from abroad implementing measures to protect their health.