Russia and Georgia ease tensions with visa and flight changes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted the visa ban and resumed direct flights to Georgia, a move that has been denounced by Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili as a "provocation". The move comes amid strained relations between the two countries, with Georgia accusing Russia of occupying its territory and maintaining questionable ties with the ruling Georgian Dream party. The two countries have had no formal diplomatic relations since a brief war erupted over South Ossetia in 2008.