(VOVworld) – Russia officially opened its consulate in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Hurghada on Sunday.

The Russian consulate is the third in Egypt, joining the Russian consulates in Cairo and Alexandria. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the consulate is already providing advice to Russians on citizenship, notary certification, legalization, and other issues. The consulate is now ready to provide comprehensive consular services and will be serving the 20,000 Russians who are living in Hurghada. At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Sergey Kirpichenko said he is very optimistic about the return of Russian tourists within a month. Last week, a Russian security team carried out a five-day inspection of Hurghada airport.