Russia–Seychelles relations
Diplomatic relations between Seychelles and the Soviet Union were established on 30 June 1976, a day after the island nation gained its independence from the United Kingdom.In February 2009, Alexander Vladimirov, Russia's Ambassador to Seychelles paid a final visit to President James Michel and Vice-President Joseph Belmont at the State House.[5] In 1987 The Sunday Times, quoting unnamed US intelligence officers, reported that the Soviet Union had landed 50 naval infantry troops in the Seychelles after making landfall on the Ivan Rogov in October 1986; a month after a foiled assassination attempt on René.Russia exported some US$4.54 million worth of goods and services to the Seychelles, including mineral oils, machinery and equipment.[7] Burgeoning Russian tourism to the Seychelles led the Seychellois national airline Air Seychelles to launch a weekly flight to Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport in March 2009, with the expectation of the addition of another weekly flight once its presence in the Russian market has been consolidated.