Sri Lanka seeks to resume flights to Russia, ambassador cites insurance obstacles
In short
Sri Lanka's ambassador to Russia, Shobini Kaushala Gunasekera, said her country is interested in resuming direct air links with Russia, but insurance-related restrictions stand in the way. She said the issue is not under Sri Lankan authorities' control and hoped the country's airlines could start flying to Russia “over time”. The two countries have been discussing charter flights from St Petersburg and beyond, with demand for Sri Lanka among Russian travellers falling this year, according to industry data.
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Sri Lanka is interested in resuming direct air links with Russia, but insurance-related restrictions are holding the process back, the country's ambassador in Moscow, Shobini Kaushala Gunasekera, said. Her remarks were reported by RIA Novosti and carried by Kommersant and Vedomosti. The ambassador said work on restoring the flights is continuing, that resolving the issues is not under Sri Lankan authorities' control, and that she hoped Sri Lankan airlines would be able to start flying to Russia “over time”. Vedomosti reported that Sri Lankan carriers are not yet ready to resume the flights. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant said the insurance questions concern not only the paperwork for flights but also the risk to the aircraft themselves. It recalled that in June 2022 an Aeroflot Airbus A330-300 belonging to Irish leasing company Celestial Aviation Trading 10 Limited was detained in Colombo, after which Aeroflot suspended flights to Sri Lanka. Air links between the two countries resumed in October 2022 after a Colombo court allowed the aircraft to return to Russia, the outlet reported. [ 2 ]
Deputy Foreign Minister Ruvan Ranasinghe has said charter flights from St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport to Sri Lanka are planned for the coming winter season, according to Kommersant. He said the launch of charter programmes to Colombo was also considered for Moscow and Yekaterinburg, and that for flights to return the two countries needed to settle issues related to aircraft insurance. [ 2 ]
Vedomosti placed the talks against a background of falling Russian demand for Sri Lanka. It cited Rosstat data as of 27 September showing 120,500 Russian tourist trips to Sri Lanka in 2025, and Association of Tour Operators of Russia figures showing demand for travel to Sri Lanka in the first half of 2026 fell 31.1%, to 77,349 visits. The same association data showed Russians made 9.5 million trips abroad in the first half of 2026, 8.7% more than in January–June of the previous year, the outlet reported. [ 3 ]
Earlier discussions had also involved St Petersburg. Vedomosti reported that in April, Leningrad region vice-governor Kirill Polyakov said the city's authorities were considering organising direct air links with Sri Lanka, and that the initiative was discussed at an international transport and logistics forum, where the sides agreed to expand cooperation in aviation as well as in tourism, trade and logistics. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
Resumed flights would restore a direct route that was suspended in 2022 after an aircraft leasing dispute and would serve a tourist market that Russian travel data show has contracted. The documents indicate the obstacles are commercial and insurance-related rather than political, so progress depends on insurers and lessors, not governments alone. Charter plans reported for the coming winter season suggest St Petersburg and possibly Moscow and Yekaterinburg are the likely first routes.
Key facts
- Sri Lanka's ambassador to Russia, Shobini Kaushala Gunasekera, said Sri Lanka is interested in resuming flights to Russia [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ambassador said work on restoring air links is under way but is held back by restrictions related to insurance, and that resolving them is not under Sri Lankan authorities' control [ 2 , 3 ]
- She said she hoped Sri Lankan airlines could begin flying to Russia “over time” [ 2 ]
- Deputy Foreign Minister Ruvan Ranasinghe said charter flights from Pulkovo airport to Sri Lanka are planned for the coming winter season, with Colombo charters also considered for Moscow and Yekaterinburg [ 2 ]
- In June 2022 an Aeroflot Airbus A330-300 belonging to Irish lessor Celestial Aviation Trading 10 Limited was detained in Colombo, after which Aeroflot suspended flights to Sri Lanka; air links resumed in October 2022 after a Colombo court allowed the aircraft to return [ 2 ]
- Rosstat data as of 27 September put Russian tourist trips to Sri Lanka at 120,500 in 2025 [ 3 ]
- The Association of Tour Operators of Russia reported that demand for travel to Sri Lanka in the first half of 2026 fell 31.1% to 77,349 visits [ 3 ]
- In April, Leningrad region vice-governor Kirill Polyakov said St Petersburg authorities were considering organising direct air links with Sri Lanka, discussed at an international transport and logistics forum [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- When Sri Lankan airlines might actually resume flights to Russia The ambassador gave no date, saying only that she hoped it would happen “over time”, and Vedomosti reported that Sri Lankan carriers are not yet ready to resume flights
- What exactly the insurance restrictions are and who would have to resolve them The documents say the issues concern insurance and are outside Sri Lanka's control, but do not identify the parties or the specific conditions
- Whether the planned charter flights from Pulkovo, Moscow and Yekaterinburg will operate This rests on a single source, Deputy Foreign Minister Ruvan Ranasinghe, and no launch or schedule is confirmed
- Whether Russian carriers would take part in any resumed service The documents mention only Sri Lankan airlines and charter plans, without naming any carrier
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports that Sri Lanka wants to resume air links with Russia [ 1 ]
- Kommersant publishes the ambassador's remarks on insurance restrictions, with background on the 2022 Aeroflot detention and the charter plans [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reports the ambassador's comments and adds Russian tourism statistics and earlier St Petersburg talks on direct flights [ 3 ]