The Russian air carrier Red Wings has started direct flights from Moscow to Hambantota in the south of Sri Lanka, The Daily Mirror newspaper reports.

Red Wings "commenced scheduled charter flight operations to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) [Hambantota - TASS] from Moscow with 398 Russian tourists on board," the newspaper said.

Red Wings will make flights to Hambantota twice per week on Wednesday and Sunday from the Moscow-based Domodedovo Airport. Return flights to Moscow will be made on Monday and Thursday.