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About 9,000 Russians waiting to be evacuated home from foreign countries

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denied media allegations that Russian overseas missions were merely putting off with lame excuses

MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. About 9,000 Russian nationals are stuck in foreign countries waiting to be evacuated home in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"About 9,000 Russian national are waiting to be able to return to Russia. We are addressing that matter. All of us. Round-the-clock," she wrote on her Facebook account.

She denied media allegations that Russian overseas missions were merely putting off with lame excuses. "These are not lame excuses. The matter is really being addressed. An inter-agency meeting on the evacuation logistics is currently underway.".

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