Russia's Nordwind has commenced direct flights to the Maldives.
The first flight arrived at the Maldives' main international airport, Velana International Airport (VIA) on Sunday, and was warmly welcomed by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
The airline's charter flights will operate between Russia's St.Petersburg and VIA, with weekly flights scheduled on Sundays.
Russia is one of the top source markets for Maldives tourism. By the end of November, 204,813 tourists had visited the Maldives from Russia.
