Since the Russo-Georgian military conflict of 2008, after which 20 percent of the Georgian sovereign territory was proclaimed independent by Russia, the continued bitterness between the two neighbors became more evident than ever.
The political crisis sparked on June 20, 2019, when Russian State Duma's deputy Sergei Gavrilov’s address in the Georgian parliament from the speaker’s chair was followed by public outrage and violent anti-Russian protests in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Consequently, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the flight ban on the neighboring country but rejected the Duma’s call for sanctions, “out of respect for the Georgian people.” After the closure of airspace, since July 8, 2019, Russian aviation accounted for over 45 million euro losses, of which over 18 million was carried by Yekaterinburg-based Ural Airlines only.
On the other hand, the Georgian economy reportedly expected to incur substantial , with its tourism heavily relying on Russia.