Russia Cuts Traffic With Georgia

Via Civil Georgia:

Russian news agencies reported that the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation has announced the suspension of air, sea, railway and land traffic with Georgia.

Officials from the Russian Transport Ministry cited the debts of Georgian air companies for air traffic service as a reason behind the decision.

“Because of the numerous cases of bankruptcy of the Georgian air companies the total debt of the Georgian air companies towards the Russian side for air traffic service has reached USD 3,6 million since 2001. We also have serious questions in respect to sea, land and railway traffic,” Sergey Aristov, the Russian Transport Ministry’s official representative, said in remarks broadcasted on Russian television.

Officials in Tbilisi say that no official notification about the decision has been received from the Russian side.