Serbia's aviation privilege: Air Serbia flies over Putin's territory!

Serbia's aviation privilege: Air Serbia flies over Putin's territory!

Swatowe, Ukraine - Serbia remains true to his longstanding Russia -friendly attitude and, contrary to the expectations of many western countries, did not take part in the sanctions against Moscow. As a result, the Serbian airline Air Serbia is the only European airline to be permitted to cross the Russian airspace for long -haul flights to China. This privilege illustrates the special relationship between Belgrade and Moscow, which has been continuously expanded in recent years. President Aleksandar Vucic also took part in the victory parade in Moscow on May 9, which underlines the close connection between the two countries again.

according to kosmo.at on May 27th received the approval of Rosaviatsiya, which enables Air Serbia, to operate transsiberian routes. In contrast, Western European airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa are not allowed to use Russian airspace.

new flight connections and strategic importance

Air Serbia currently maintains connections to Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg and flies twice a week to Shanghai and Guangzhou. Before approval for the overflight, the airline used detours via Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, which extended the flight duration to 10.5 hours. So far, Air Serbia has not yet fully used the new flooding rights, but plans to expand its long-haul fleet from four to eight Airbus A330-200. This not only strengthens economic relations with Russia, but also makes Serbia a potential hub for Russian travelers who benefit from the visa -free entry.

The in -depth relationships between Serbia and Russia have a long history. Ethnic and religious ties have existed for centuries, and during the most turbulent times in the history of both countries, Russia was often an ally of Serbia. In the 18th century, Orthodox Serbs sought support from the Russian tsar against the Ottomans and Habsburg, which the course made for close cooperation. During the First World War and the War against the Ottoman Empire, Serbian troops received Russian support.

Current geopolitical location and the consequences of the Ukraine War

While Serbia deepens its relationships with Russia, the country is fighting for its place in the geopolitical landscape of Europe. According to the British secret service, Russia is under pressure in Ukraine, especially in the Swatowe region, where Russian troops are considered vulnerable. These military difficulties are exacerbated by defective training of the reservists and an acute lack of ammunition. President Wolodymyr Selenskyj from Ukraine currently reports about thousands of dead and hundreds of thousands of deported to Russia, which further exhits the humanitarian crisis in the region.

The tight connections of Serbia to Russia and the maximum occupancy of air traffic connections on this axis could influence the geopolitical weight of Serbia in Europe in the long term. The country tries to find a balance between the traditional partnership with Russia and its ambitions, closer to the EU.