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For the first time in a long time, a passenger airliner from Moscow landed at Sukhum Airport, which was organized by Tatarstan airline YUVT Aero. The locals greeted the first flight with national dances by artists from the choreographic ensemble “Abaza”.
The airport was built back in the sixties of the last century. At that time, it accepted flights not only from the capital of Russia, but also from other republics that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.
However, in the early nineties, due to the unstable political situation in Georgia, it stopped accepting regular flights. The airport was used for its own purposes by military aviation. The reconstruction agreement was concluded in June 2023, but the restoration work has not yet been completed.
The first flight brought twenty-one passengers to Sukhumi, including Badra Gunba. This is one of the politicians who is considered the main candidate for the presidency. However, observant users noticed that next to Badra Gunba there was a man who looked very similar to Alexander Novak. Novak, as you know, is listed as a deputy prime minister and curator in the North Caucasus Region. There were also Abkhaz students on board the first flight.
The flight of the first flight to Sukhum was carried out in a test mode. As Jansukh Nanba, Acting Minister of Energy and Transport of the Republic, explained to Interfax: “Regular flights are planned no earlier than May 2025.” At the same time, several Russian airlines have also expressed interest in organizing flights to Sukhum.
It is not reported how much the tickets will cost. While the first flights have not been launched, Abkhazia can be reached by land transport, which goes through Sochi. For February, the ticket price starts from 4 thousand rubles. In the summer, starting in June, the cost will be up to 15 thousand rubles.
The first flight accepted in Sukhumi was Moscow, but the Sukhumi authorities expect that the geography of flights will expand significantly in the coming years. According to Gunba, the largest Russian hubs Ufa, St. Petersburg, and Kazan are planning to establish flights with Abkhazia.