MOSCOW, July 1, 2023 (BSS/TASS) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree on Saturday imposing sanctions for 10 years on 192 individuals, mostly Russian nationals.

The latest sanctions also affect 291 legal entities, including Russian factories and businesses.

Also, Belarusian, Georgian and Kazakh companies were blacklisted.

Zelensky blacklisted Georgian Airways in the wake of the resumption of direct flights between Georgia and Russia. Also, the airline's Chairman Tamaz Gaiashvili was sanctioned for 10 years.

Gaiashvili told TASS he's not worried about those sanctions. "I don't care if someone has imposed any sanctions on me. I'll leave that without comment," the Georgian businessman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 10 signed a decree to abolish visas for Georgian citizens starting from May 15. 

In another decree, he lifted a ban on direct flights by Russian airlines to Georgia that Moscow had stood since 2019.

 The Russian airline Azimut was the first airline to start flights on May 19, after obtaining permission from Georgian aviation authorities. 

Georgian Airways was the second airline to start direct flights between Georgia and Russia on May 20.