The first group of pilgrims set off on the Hajj from Ingushetia.

The first group of 180 pilgrims departed for the Hajj from Sulambek Oskanov Magas International Airport on Wednesday.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the cost of the Hajj for pilgrims from Ingushetia in 2025 has increased by $100 due to rising living costs in Saudi Arabia. Then, 1,441 people from the republic set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca, but not everyone who wanted to was able to get to Mecca.

The first group of pilgrims from Ingushetia departed from Magas International Airport for the Hajj – 180 residents headed to the holy sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina, Ingushetia's head, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, announced today on his Telegram channel.

"International flights from Magas Airport have been organized, paperwork, medical support, and customs and border control services are in place," the head of Ingushetia said in a statement.

The pilgrims are divided into groups of 40. Each group is accompanied by a cleric leader responsible for organizing the route, maintaining order, and managing ongoing issues during their stay in Saudi Arabia. All pilgrims on the submitted lists have been checked for outstanding debts and travel restrictions, which will avoid additional delays at border control, according to the regional government press service. A total of eight flights are scheduled from Magas Airport as part of the Hajj campaign. Some of these will serve pilgrims from other regions of the North Caucasus. Flights from Magas to Medina are scheduled for May 13-18, and return flights from Jeddah from June 3-8. This year's Hajj quota for Ingushetia is 1,400. According to the Hajj Committee, 1,392 pilgrims have confirmed their departure, Kalimatov reported earlier.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that about 200 people departed from Chechnya for the Hajj on the first flight for pilgrims departing from Grozny Airport. All pilgrims on the first flight are flying to the Hajj for the first time.