No More Restrictions on Russian Students' Travels to Turkey

Restrictions on the entry of Russian students to Turkey that were imposed following the downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkey over Syria in November have been lifted, Director of the International Department at the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Nikolai Toivonen, told RIA Novosti.

VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) – Charter flights between Russia and Turkey had been suspended following the downing of a Russian Su-24 combat plane by Turkey over Syria in November 2015.

"We just had a restriction for some time on the entry of our kids to Turkey, because we could not guarantee their security," Toivonen said on Thursday, adding that since charter flights have resumed for tourists, "there is no such restriction [anymore]."

On June 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree instructing the government to take steps aimed at lifting restrictions on tourist travel to Turkey as well as on charter flights after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote a letter of apology to Russia.

On Sunday, the Russian government signed a decree on lifting the existing restrictions on charter flights to Turkey. However, the government recommended Russian airlines to boost security measures.

On Tuesday, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said that the first charter flight from Russia to Turkey was expected to take place on September 3.