Middle Way: The Ministry of Transport has allowed flights to Malaysia from the Far East

The decision to launch direct flights to Malaysia from the cities of the Far East depends on the formation of the tourist flow, the Ministry of Transport told Izvestia. So far, routes from Moscow are expected in 2026. Kuala Lumpur expects to launch direct flights to Russia in the first half of the year and is already preparing to receive guests from our country. Currently, flights to Malaysia are expensive and time-consuming for passengers, so the opening of direct flights will stimulate the flow of travelers, experts say. At the same time, the parties are developing relations in other sectors, including trade and energy. In general, relations between Moscow and Kuala Lumpur are on the rise both economically and politically. Which areas are the most promising — in the material of Izvestia.

When will there be direct flights from Russia to Malaysia?

In 2026, a new destination in Southeast Asia will open for the mass Russian traveler. Malaysia expects to launch direct flights from Russia in the first half of the year and is already preparing to receive tourists from our country.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

Earlier, the ambassador of the state to the Russian Federation, Cheong Lung Lai, said that direct flights will begin with flights of the Russian airline Red Wings from Moscow to Langkawi, an archipelago popular with tourists, and later the geography may expand. The possibility of launching flights from cities in the Far East, as well as to Kuala Lumpur, will depend on overall demand.

"The solution to this issue primarily depends on the formation of the tourist flow," the press service of the Ministry of Transport told Izvestia.

Direct flights will greatly simplify the movement of citizens of both countries. Tour operators expect that they will increase the flow to Langkawi by 20-30%.

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Under what conditions will this happen and how can we get everything back to normal?

Now, to get there from Moscow, you will need to spend at least 19 hours on the road. A connecting flight, for example, at Dubai airport will cost 36 thousand rubles one way.

— It's a long and difficult journey to Malaysia. The launch of direct flights, of course, will have a positive impact on the tourist flow, it will increase significantly. Malaysia is a tourist country, a great place to relax. In addition, Kuala Lumpur is a modern big city with a lot of attractions. Therefore, the launch of direct flights will be a breakthrough moment for our countries," Dmitry Mosyakov, head of the Center for the Study of Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania, and a member of the Academic Council of the Institute of International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia.

Photo: Global Look Press/Zhu Wei

In 2026, the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign will be launched in Malaysia to promote foreign tourism in this country: the state expects to attract 47 million travelers in this way. Thus, Malaysia will offer large discounts to foreign tourists, including Russians, on hotel reservations, shops, SPA centers and other tourist facilities, various festivals throughout the year, and new excursion programs.

In general, Malaysia is a very developed and convenient country in Southeast Asia, Dmitry Mosyakov draws attention to.

— There, as in Singapore, the technology sector is highly developed. Kuala Lumpur is a very progressive city, and Malaysia is no less a high—tech country," the expert believes.

What is the basis of relations between Russia and Malaysia

"We perceive Russia as a partner that we can trust," King Sultan Ibrahim, the supreme head of Malaysia, said at a meeting with Vladimir Putin in August 2025.

Indeed, the two countries maintain close ties in various areas of bilateral cooperation. In particular, by November 2025, the trade turnover between Russia and Malaysia increased by 32%. By the end of 2024, it has already exceeded $3.2 billion. In particular, the parties managed to increase the volume of trade in chemical industry products. Exports of Russian fertilizers increased by 124% from January to August compared to the same period in 2024. In addition, Moscow and Kuala Lumpur managed to agree on a veterinary certificate for the export of chicken and turkey, as well as open access for Russian dairy products.

The parties have promising projects in the economic sphere as well. Cooperation is mainly developing in the field of high technology, innovation, and trade in electronic components. Several Russian companies are already selling their technology products and implementing innovative solutions in Malaysia. One of them implements its products in the field of cybersecurity, as Vladimir Ilyichev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, previously emphasized.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Eduard Kornienko

Malaysia also promised to simplify the settlement process with the Russian Federation through relevant structures, including the central bank. This may give an additional impetus to the trade relations between the two countries.

Cooperation in the field of energy is also developing. In May 2025, Vladimir Putin, during talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, stressed that the Russian Federation sees prospects for the implementation of joint projects in the fields of gas and peaceful atom.

"We have very good personal and interstate relations between Russian Leader Vladimir Putin and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,— Dmitry Mosyakov emphasizes.

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Where can planes be launched from and how can this exotic country attract Russians?

Russia is ready to build large-capacity nuclear power plants and small modular reactors in Malaysia, as well as increase energy supplies. As a first step, Moscow is ready to offer the Malaysian side a small-scale floating nuclear power plant, as well as train personnel to work at this power plant, Russian Ambassador to Malaysia Nail Latypov said earlier. Russia's experience in this field is unique, as the Russian Federation is the only country in the world that already builds and operates such facilities.

— Energy is a key area of bilateral cooperation. The Malaysian oil and gas concern Petronas is part of Rosneft's share capital and is developing partnership with this company and Gazprom. Our country supplies significant volumes of petroleum products and coal to the Malaysian market. We see prospects for the implementation of joint projects in the gas sector and in the peaceful atom," the Russian leader said.

Photo: Global Look Press/Sergey Lantyukhov

Equally important, Kuala Lumpur is interested in cooperating with Moscow through international organizations, in which Russia plays a leading role. In particular, Malaysia, which already has the status of a BRICS partner country, wants to upgrade it to full membership. The authorities informed Brazil about this, which hosted the unification events in 2025.