Flight connection between Abkhazia and Russia can be launched on May 1, the authorities of the two countries will provide the appropriate assistance to the airport in Sukhum, Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, said at a meeting at the airport.

"The start of regular service is May 1," he said.

Kiriyenko discussed the launch of air traffic between Abkhazia and Russia with the Vice President of the republic, the head of the coordination headquarters for the reconstruction and construction of the Sukhum airport Badra Gunba. As Kiriyenko noted, the airport will be able to receive a test flight in the near future.

"The main question is whether we will make it in time for the season or not, whether during the season vacationers will be able to fly directly to Sukhum or they will have to take a complicated route by land," Kiriyenko noted.

As Gunba stressed, the reconstruction of the airport in Sukhum is one of the important infrastructure projects that Abkhazia and Russia are implementing jointly.

"Of course, the implementation of such a project is aimed at improving the economic viability of our state, [contribute to] the creation of additional jobs, and an increase in the tax base," Gunba said.

As Kiriyenko was told at the airport, its reconstruction involves two stages. The first one includes repairs to the runway, reconstruction of the aprons, and the creation of terminal infrastructure. "This equipment will allow us to serve up to a million passengers a year," said an airport representative. He added that investments in the implementation of the two stages will amount to about 30 billion rubles ($306 mln). It is planned to ensure the airport’s readiness to receive aircraft by May 1, he confirmed.