Russia slashes flights with Turkey over Covid-19 concerns

There will be only two flights a week between Moscow and Istanbul, and Russian travel agencies are advised to suspend sales of tours to Turkey, Golikova said at a briefing on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Most coronavirus-positive Russians that are returning from abroad are arriving from Turkey, Anna Popova, head of Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said at the briefing.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied speculations that the limit on air traffic is retaliation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Istanbul and talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday.