Russia has approved direct commercial flights  between Moscow and Georgia’s capital paving the way for resumption of commercial flights between the two neighboring countries two years after they fought a five-day war.Russian media reported on Wednesday that Georgian Airways and the Russian airline Sibir (S7) will operate direct flights between Moscow and Tiblisi. Short-term packages of direct charter flight between the two capitals resumed in January.In June, S7 was given permission for 12 flights between Moscow and Tbilisi and in March the two former Soviet Republics agreed to re-open their sole land-crossing.The developments are seen as easing of tensions between the two nations, which enlivened polarization between the West and Russia.
Direct flights between Tbilisi and Moscow were suspended in 2006 after four Russian soldiers were detained in Tbilisi on charges of espionage. They resumed briefly in 2008 and were halted again after the five-day war in August between the two countries over South Ossetia.Russia recognized the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states after the brief war, in which Russia gave a humiliating blow to Georgia.
Russia has not yet normalized relations with its Caucasian neighbor. Since then, Switzerland has been representing Russia’s interests in Tbilisi and Georgia’s interests in Moscow.