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As many countries around the world seek to isolate Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, the UAE is opening a fifth route to Russian destinations, including a new route to Samara.
UAE launches fifth Russian route from Sharjah to Samara [Getty]
United Arab Emirates air arabia The airline said on Tuesday it had announced the launch of its fifth new Russian route starting October 1.
The airline is the largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with three weekly flights to and from Sharjah International Airport and Samara Kurumoch International Airport.
Air Arabia Group Chief Executive Officer Adel Al Ali said the new service “underscores our continued commitment to provide customers with affordable travel options while supporting trade, tourism and cultural exchange”.
Since the start of the war, most major airlines have stopped flying to Russia.However, the UAE has Maintain normal air travel with Moscow – The move was considered controversial by many.
Emirates’ flight expansion appears to be a clear indicator that the UAE intends to maintain close ties with Russia despite global sanctions and anger over the Ukraine war.
When Ukraine began its invasion, the UAE defied the United States and its other Western allies by abstaining from a UN Security Council resolution condemning it.
Since then, while it has not directly supported Russia, it has become haven For wealthy Russians and Russian businesses seeking to circumvent sanctions.
A Give way It was revealed last month that Russia had been caught boasting about its cooperation with the UAE to disrupt US and UK intelligence services.
According to a recent report, the UAE has also become a major trading hub for Russian gold after sanctions cut off traditional routes reporter Reuters. Although the UAE claims to have stopped buying it, Russian customs documents show it as the top destination for its gold, followed by Turkey and China.
Russia and UAE close before Ukraine war, both sides alliance Backing warlord Khalifa Haftar in Libya.United Arab Emirates and Russia align Attempts to restore the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
While the UAE and Russia share similar political views, opposing the Arab Spring uprisings and democratic rule in the Middle East and North Africa, their recent deals — whether it be air travel or gold — are seen as purely for trade and material gain.
The UAE saw an opportunity to fill the void left by Western sanctions on Russia for its own benefit.
Russia sees a state in the UAE that could hold the key to allowing it to survive the fallout of the costly war in Ukraine economically.
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