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Developments in Afghanistan

Putin plans no public statements on situation in Afghanistan — Kremlin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also stressed that Russia planned no new operations on evacuation of people from Kabul

© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not plan any public statements regarding the situation in Afghanistan, because Russia did not participate in the Western coalition’s operations in this country, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

"No, the president has no such plans," the spokesman said. "Because Russia is not a member of the US-led coalition, which stayed in Afghanistan for the last several decades, and who withdrew its forces, causing such situation."

Evacuation from Afghanistan

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that Russia planned no new operations on evacuation of people from Kabul, adding that further plans would depend on development of the situation.

Read also

Russia strongly condemns terrorist attacks in Kabul — Kremlin spokesman

"We plan no new operations at this point. Everything that follows would depend on the development of the situation. It is rather unpredictable," the spokesman said, answering a question whether Russia plans to evacuate its citizens after the Kabul explosions.

"I believe that various agencies monitor the situation," the spokesman said. He noted that Russia already carried out an evacuation operation from Afghanistan.

On August 25 and 26, Russian Defense Ministry transported citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, who contacted the Russian embassy for assistance. The Russian Foreign Ministry underscored that the operation was not an evacuation, but assistance in repatriation of citizens who found themselves in a difficult situation due to the changed military and political situation in Afghanistan. According to Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov, Russian Defense Ministry transported over 360 ethnic Afghans with Russian citizenship. The transportation of over 500 citizens of Russia, CSTO countries (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), Uzbekistan and Ukraine was carried out under President Putin’s order.

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Foreign policy Power transfer in Afghanistan

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