Russia Evacuates Citizens From Kazakhstan

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the evacuation of over 1,400 Russian citizens from Kazakhstan on Sunday, January 9, as disruptions in the Central Asian country lessened following violent protests.

Russia and other members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization — a NATO-like alliance made up of post-Soviet countries — were asked by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to deploy a peacekeeping force in Kazakhstan after demonstrations broke out on January 2.

On Tuesday, Tokayev told Kazakhstan’s parliament that the peacekeeping force would soon leave the country.

This footage, shared by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Sunday, shows Russian citizens being evacuated from Almaty International Airport. Credit: Russian Ministry of Defense via Storyful