How are wealthy Russians using Serbia as a gateway to Europe?

Air Serbia has doubled its Moscow-Belgrade flights, as the country's planes can now fly over European Union airspace, the Guardian writes.

Wealthy Russians are exploiting a route known as "Serbia's Back Door" to flee to Europe and evade the EU's ban on flights to and from Russia.

Air Serbia, in which the Serbian state is the largest shareholder, has doubled direct flights from Moscow to Belgrade. There are 15 flights per week, a number that has increased rapidly after the EU banned Russian aircraft from flying through its airspace.

The prestigious British newspaper further writes how Serbia has refused to impose sanctions on Russia, but its planes are free to fly through EU airspace.

This, writes the Guardian, has made Serbia "the only open air corridor for Russia," according to an airline company.

Airline seat capacity between Russia and Serbia increased by 50 percent in the first week of March, compared to the week before Russia invaded Ukraine.

According to the airline, capacity is expected to increase even more in the coming weeks.

Serbia and Belarus, under autocrat Alexander Lukashenko, are the only countries in Europe that have not imposed sanctions on Russia since February 24, when Russian forces entered Ukraine.