Russia proposes to Brazil launching direct flights - Russian transport minister

BRASILIA. Feb 5 (Interfax) - Russia has proposed to Brazil launching direct flights, flights by Brazilian airlines to Russia will be more probable if an agreement is achieved, Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said.

"No doubt, we proposed to the Brazilian side launching direct flights. We are ready to create the most comfortable conditions possible in Russia for Brazilian airlines and, generally, it's one of the issues on the agenda," Nikitin told reporters during Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's visit to Brazil to attend the 8th session of the Russian-Brazilian High-Level Cooperation Commission.

He said it is too early to speak about when flights will start. "It largely depends on the Brazilian colleagues," he said.

"We are ready to start any moment [...] Our colleagues should decide and stop fearing some restrictions [...] They, of course, are afraid of sanctions risks, but quite a lot of people from Russia fly here, and Brazilians fly to Russia, therefore, I do hope that we can make headway," Nikitin said.

Some western countries limited flights for Russian airlines after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine. Russia and Brazil had no direct regular flights before those events as well.