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Moscow repatriates Russians from Afghanistan with assistance of Taliban, US

Earlier, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan said that over 360 Afghan holders of Russian passports had been evacuated from Kabul

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Moscow succeeded in repatriating the citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from Afghanistan with the assistance of the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) and the United States, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"Although Kabul’s airport was in disarray, preparations for repatriation flights and their departure proved successful with the assistance of Taliban members and the United States, who still has control of Afghanistan’s airspace," the statement reads.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, on August 25-26, the Defense Ministry conducted repatriation flights from Afghanistan for the citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan who had contacted the Russian embassy in Kabul, asking for help in returning to their home countries.

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that it was not an evacuation effort but "assistance in the return of these people home after they had found themselves in a difficult situation due to the drastic changes in the military and political situation in Afghanistan."

Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov said on Wednesday that over 360 Afghan holders of Russian passports had been evacuated from Kabul.

The repatriation of more than 500 citizens of Russia, Collective Security Treaty Organization countries (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), Uzbekistan and Ukraine was carried out by the Russian Defense Ministry at the order of President Vladimir Putin.