Russia has temporarily suspended all repatriation flights for Russian nationals stuck abroad as of 00:00 today, 4 April. The Russian government made the announcement yesterday, highlighting the need for tighter measures to halt further spread of coronavirus within the country.
Russia has been operating a number of medical supply flights over the past week. But yesterday it announced that it would be stopping the repatriation flights which have so far brought thousands of Russians home from countries around the world.
Why has Russia suspended repatriation flights?
As reported by Russian News Agency TASS yesterday, the Russian government’s decision to halt repatriation fights appears to have been made as a precaution to stop additional carriers of COVID-19 from entering the country.
“In order to ensure maximum protection of people’s health and prevent a new wave of imported coronavirus cases in Russia, international flights evacuating Russian nationals will be temporarily suspended,” Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters said yesterday.
The temporary suspension went into effect at 00:00 Moscow time this morning. At the moment, no indication of how long the suspension will last has been given. However, it will likely be dependent on how the pandemic unfolds over the next few weeks.
As of yesterday, Russia had reported a total of 4,149 confirmed coronavirus cases, the majority of which are situated in the capital. Meanwhile, the country’s total deaths from the disease stood officially stood at 34, although that number has now risen to 43 as of today.
The country has recently stepped up its anti-coronavirus measures in an attempt to flatten its infection curve. Alongside the temporary suspension of repatriation flights, Moscow has introduced random police checks to ensure that only individuals who live together are travelling in the same car.
What options are available to Russian citizens still stuck abroad?
While many Russian citizens will have already returned home, it is now too late for those still stuck abroad. Although it will not be possible for them to fly home for the time being, the Russian government says it has made alternative arrangements to help.
Firstly, Russians currently staying abroad will have their visas extended if required. The government also says it has made a US$6.52 million fund available to cover accommodation costs for Russian citizens who are still stranded abroad.
Additional information will be available through a government internet hotline, while further information about future repatriation flights will be given in due course.
What about foreigners stuck in Russia?
It appears the new flight suspensions will not just affect Russians currently stuck abroad. Additionally, chartered flights travelling to Russia in order to take foreigners back to their own countries have also been temporarily halted.
As reported by Reuters, this has left US citizens stuck in Russia without any means of returning home for the time being. One flight due to fly US citizens back from Moscow to New York on Friday night was cancelled at the last minute, despite receiving confirmation that it would be allowed to go ahead earlier in the day.
The US embassy in Moscow said that it does, “not believe any international flights will be departing from the Russian Federation until further notice.”