Russia sending two planes to pick Russians who want to leave Syria
Published: 21 January, 2013, 21:42
The Russian Emergencies Ministry's Il-76 transport plane (RIA Novosti / Alexander Utkin)
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry is sending two planes to the
Lebanese capital to pick those Russians who want to leave Syria torn by the ongoing civil conflict. The aircraft leave for Beirut on Tuesday, some 100 Russians are expected to be evacuated.
Two planes, Il-76 and Yak-42, both able to cary up to 120 passengers will be dispatched for Beirut, the ministry confirmed on Monday. The crews will include medics and psychologists.
About 150 Russian citizens, who want to leave Syria are already in Beirut. Most of those being evacuated are women and children.
Earlier media reported that Russia was considering using the navy to evacuate its citizens from Syria. This appeared to be confirmed when several warships were sent to the Mediterranean sea. But the Foreign Ministry denied the speculation, saying the deployment was for scheduled military drills.
In December a member of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, a newly formed opposition body recognized by the West, called Russian citizens in Syria ‘
legitimate targets.’
"
Russia, like Iran, supports the Assad regime with weapons and ammunition, as well as in the political arena, so the citizens of these countries are legitimate targets for militants in Syria," Haitham al-Maleh, a member of the coalition told RT.*
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