World

Russia Evacuates Thousands of Citizens From Middle East Amid Iran Conflict

Russia has begun evacuating thousands of its citizens from several Middle Eastern countries as tensions escalate following the recent conflict involving Iran. The operation involves specialized emergency aircraft and dozens of charter flights organized to assist Russian travelers stranded due to major flight disruptions across the region.

According to Russia’s Transportation Ministry, more than 1,000 Russian citizens have already returned home from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Muscat, the capital of Oman. Authorities are working closely with airlines to coordinate additional flights and ensure the safe return of travelers affected by the regional crisis.

Officials expect approximately 4,500 more Russians to be transported back from the UAE and Oman through evacuation flights scheduled throughout the week. The ministry indicated that these flights are expected to continue operating until Saturday.

In addition to Moscow, evacuation flights are also being directed to several major Russian cities, including Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan and Mineralnye Vody, allowing returning citizens to reach destinations closer to their home regions.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry also confirmed that an Il-76 military transport aircraft was dispatched from Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow to evacuate Russian nationals who fled Iran and crossed into neighboring Azerbaijan.

Russian diplomatic officials reported that dozens of citizens had already reached Azerbaijan after leaving Iran, while hundreds more were still believed to remain inside the country.

Many foreign nationals, along with some Russians, have been leaving Iran through land border crossings into Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey as the situation in the region remains uncertain.

Officials in Azerbaijan stated that hundreds of people have been evacuated from Iran through Azerbaijani territory since the start of the recent strikes. Among those evacuated were citizens from several countries, including Russia, China and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Russia’s embassy in Turkmenistan has informed its citizens that they may also exit Iran through border crossings into Turkmenistan. Travelers are required to contact the embassy in advance and provide detailed information regarding their evacuation route.