Russian Military Transport Aircraft Ferries 146 Citizens To Moscow From Kazakhstan
This footage shows a Russian military transport aircraft ferrying 146 Russian citizens to Moscow from Kazakhstan amid instability in the country due to an increase in fuel prices.
The footage was shared online by the Russian Ministry of Defence, which also said that “several foreign diplomats and their families were taken to the Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow by plane by the Russian Defence Ministry at the request of the embassies of Hungary and Austria”.
The footage, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence, shows Russian citizens leaving the airfield in the country’s largest city, Almaty, before arriving in Moscow.
Civilians, including families with children and prams, can be seen boarding a bus that then takes them to the aircraft. They then board the aircraft via a rear ramp along with their belongings.
Members of the military can be seen helping the civilians to board the aircraft, which, once everyone has taken their seat, appears full.
The footage then shows the aircraft going down the runway and taking off into the sky.
CSTO forces were called in by the president of Kazakhstan amid unrest triggered by a rise in fuel prices.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is a military alliance that includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Rioting in the country led to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev requesting assistance from the alliance, which sent thousands of troops into the country on 6th January.
The Internet has reportedly been turned back on in Almaty after a five-day outage. Media outlets are reporting that the Russian-led forces are set to withdraw and that a new Prime Minister, Alikhan Smailov, has been appointed.
