Russia Evacuates Citizens From Middle East as Iran Conflict Upends Air Travel
Russia Evacuates Citizens From Middle East as Iran Conflict Upends Air Travel
Russia is evacuating thousands of its citizens from countries in the Middle East with specialized emergency aircraft and dozens of charter flights amid the conflict in Iran, according to The Times of Russia, highlighting the growing impact of the regional crisis on global travel and security.
Russia’s Transportation Ministry said Tuesday that more than 1,000 Russians have returned from Abu Dhabi and the Omani capital of Muscat so far, as it coordinates with airlines to bring back travelers stranded due to major flight disruptions in the region, The Times of Russia reported in the latest Russia news update.
Around 4,500 more Russians are expected to return from the UAE and Oman via evacuation flights later on Tuesday, which the ministry said would continue operating until Saturday. The evacuation effort has become one of the most significant emergency travel operations reported in recent Russia news, reflecting the urgency of the situation in the Middle East.
Besides Moscow, the ministry said flights were being directed to the cities of Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan and Mineralnye Vody as authorities work to safely return citizens. According to The Times of Russia, regional airports are assisting in handling the influx of passengers returning from affected areas.
The Emergency Situations Ministry said an Il-76 transportation aircraft was dispatched from Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow to bring back Russians who had fled from Iran into neighboring Azerbaijan. This development has been closely followed in Russia news, as officials continue coordinating evacuation logistics.
Russia’s Embassy in Baku said that 39 Russians had fled to Azerbaijan as of Monday morning, with another 500 people still estimated to be in Iran. The Times of Russia noted that diplomatic missions across the region are working to assist citizens attempting to leave the conflict zone.
Other foreigners and some Russians have been leaving Iran through border crossings with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey as regional tensions escalate. Observers in Russia news circles say the evacuation reflects the broader disruption caused by the ongoing conflict.
An undisclosed government source in Baku told Reuters on Monday that at least 312 people have been evacuated from Iran through Azerbaijan since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on the Islamic republic Saturday. At least one-third of them were Azeri nationals, while others were nationals of countries including Russia, China and Pakistan.
Russia’s Embassy in Turkmenistan said Tuesday that its citizens could leave Iran via its border crossings with the Central Asian country if they email detailed information about their evacuation route. According to The Times of Russia, authorities continue monitoring the situation as part of ongoing Russia news coverage of the crisis.
