Russia partially reopens borders after months of travel restrictions

Russia is partially reopening its borders, allowing citizens to leave the country for the purposes of work, education, medical treatment, or caring for relatives, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, according to reports from RIA Novosti. 

Foreign nationals will also be allowed entry into Russia to seek medical treatment, or in order to care for close family members.

According to the relevant government order published online, this partial reopening came into force on the date of its signing, June 6.

On June 8, Mishustin also stated that Russia is ready to gradually reopen for the tourist season. “A plan has been developed for the Russian tourism industry to [lift] quarantine restrictions,” he said.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, regional governors have been given until June 15 to prepare plans for reopening the tourism industry in their respective regions. 

Sources told RBC and TASS that Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya), is planning to suggest to the country’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, that international air travel partially resume beginning on June 15. According to Interfax, flights with other CIS countries will be the first to resume, while flights to and from other countries will start back “on condition of reciprocity.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian government suspended regular and charter flights with other countries beginning on March 27.