Moscow evacuates Russians, ex-Soviet citizens from Afghanistan

Moscow: Russia’s armed forces said they began evacuating more than 500 Russians and citizens of several ex-Soviet states from Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The evacuations were the first made public by Russia, which has taken a cautiously optimistic outlook of the new Taliban leadership in Kabul. Moscow said it sent four military transport planes to fly out more than 500 citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

The evacuations were being organised at the behest of President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s military said in a statement. Each plane had drinking water, individual rations and blankets for the evacuees, the statement added.