Russia will resume international flights starting August 1, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

“It has been decided to resume international flights,” he said, adding that flights will be performed from airports of Moscow, Moscow Region, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don starting August 1.

However, only three countries have been approved so far: Britain, Tanzania, and Turkey. The latter is a major destination for Russian tourists, while London is a major transport hub. The Kremlin had previously said routes would be restored on a reciprocal basis, which suggests bilateral deals have been made with the three states mentioned.

The move comes around four months after connections were shut on March 27 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Header: MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA – MAY 3, 2020: A man views an information board at Domodedovo International Airport. Russia halted all international flights since March 27, 2020, amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, except for repatriation flights. Marina Lystseva/TASS

Source: RT, TASS