Russian plane with evacuees from Afghanistan lands in Moscow

Moscow [Russia], December 2 : The third plane from Kabul with citizens of Russia and Afghanistan has landed at the Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow, Russian Media reported citing defense ministry statement.
"Three Il-76 military transport aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry, involved in the evacuation of citizens from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, landed at the Chkalovsky airfield in the Moscow Region," the ministry said.
More than 200 Russians from Afghanistan were transported on three flights. At present passengers are passing customs and COVID control, Sputnik reported.
Earlier, three Russian military transport aircraft departed for Kabul to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate citizens of Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Afghan students studying at Russian universities. In total, 214 people were taken out. The evacuation was carried out on Russian President Vladimir Putin's order, it added.
Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban, have plunged a country already suffering from high poverty levels into a full-blown economic crisis, Amnesty International said in a statement.
This comes as 22.8 million people are facing acute food insecurity and hunger, while the World Food Programme estimates that at least a million children are already suffering from acute malnutrition. According to the UN, more than USD 200 million of humanitarian aid a month is needed to avert disaster.