The Transport Minister of Vladimir Putin’s regime, Andrey Nikitin, proposed this Thursday (5) the resumption of direct flights between Brazil and Russia and stated that Moscow is willing to offer favorable operating conditions for Brazilian airlines interested in operating on the route. The information was published by the Russian state agency TASS.
Nikitin’s statement came on the same day that the Kremlin regime’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, visited Brasília, where he met with officials from the Lula government.
Nikitin told journalists that the opening of direct flights is part of the proposals presented to the Brazilian side as part of deepening bilateral cooperation. According to him, the Russian regime is ready to create a favorable operating environment for Brazilian air transport companies on Russian territory.
“Without a doubt, we propose to the Brazilian side the opening of direct flights. We are ready to create the most favorable conditions possible in Russia for Brazilian airlines,” he said.
A TASS mentioned that the possibility of resuming direct flights between the two countries had already been mentioned at the end of last year by the Brazilian ambassador in Moscow, Sérgio Rodrigues dos Santos. In an interview with the Russian state agency, the Brazilian diplomat stated that the reactivation of flights would depend on broad demand from tourists. On the occasion, the ambassador highlighted that a direct flight could be used not only to transport passengers bound for Brazil, but also as a transit route to other countries in South America, with Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo functioning as connection hubs.
Brazil and Russia have maintained direct flights in the past, operated by the Russian airline Aeroflot between Moscow and São Paulo during the 1990s, a connection that was terminated in 2000.
The Russian proposal comes at a time of apparent reorganization of Moscow’s foreign policy in Latin America. According to an analysis published by People’s Gazetteafter losing strategic influence in Venezuela, with the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro by the USA, Russia is beginning to concentrate efforts in Brazil as the main platform to expand its political, economic and diplomatic presence in the region.
