The United Russia party nominated Ramzan Kadyrov as its candidate for a new term as head of Chechnya. After his nomination, Kadyrov stated that he was running "under duress" and that, if the decision were entirely up to him, he would nominate another candidate. Learn more in our video.
The resumption of flights with Georgia may reduce tourism within Russia
Direct flights between the Russian Federation and Georgia, which will come into force on May 15 and have been canceled since 2019, can hit the tourist flow in Russia hard.
Tourism in southern Russia increased by 17% last year. The reason is the sanctions and the closure of borders by the West. At the same time, the flow of tourists to Georgia increased five times even in the absence of direct flights.
The flow of tourists from Russia to Georgia with the resumption of direct flights may exceed a million people. In January-March, almost 257,000 Russian citizens visited Georgia.