Russia Denies El Al Flights to St. Petersburg, Citing Retaliation

El Al, Israel's national airline, sought to resume flights to Russia by proposing a new route to St. Petersburg instead of Moscow, citing security concerns in the Russian capital. However, Russian authorities denied the request, reportedly as retaliation for Israel's refusal to allow Russian flag carrier Aeroflot to land in Israel.

This decision stems from Israel's policy of not permitting Aeroflot, a state-owned Russian airline, to operate flights to the country, despite the absence of specific trade sanctions against Russia. While Israel's Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority have not ruled out Aeroflot's arrival, sources suggest the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is behind the decision. Notably, another Russian private airline, Red Wings, is permitted to land in Israel, indicating the sanction is specifically targeted at Aeroflot.

El Al had previously suspended its flights to Moscow due to recent drone attacks in Russia and has no current plans to restart the route. Meanwhile, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency stated it had not received notifications from any foreign airlines about ceasing operations due to security issues. The agency's head, Dmitry Yadrov, indicated cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization regarding flights to and from Russia, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warning about flight safety in the country.