Russia lifts Covid restrictions on flights to Vietnam

"The infection rate is declining, which means it's time to expand the destinations available to our Russian airlines," Russian news agency TASS quoted Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying Saturday.

In addition to Vietnam, the list includes Algeria, Argentina, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, TASS reported.

Russia imposed travel curbs at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 to slow the spread of the virus but had then begun easing restrictions as infection rates improved.

Vietnam resumed regular flights to and from Russia in January after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

Vietnam Airlines, the only Vietnamese carrier to fly to Russia, suspended Hanoi-Moscow flights on March 24 amid escalating Russia-Ukraine war and has not yet resumed the service.