Defense Ministry: Russia airlifted a group of people from Kabul

Three Russian Il-76 planes left Kabul carrying Russian and Kyrgyz nationals and Afghan students, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Wednesday.

"Three military transport aircraft, which had delivered humanitarian aid to the Kabul airport, completed the boarding of the evacuated citizens and left Afghanistan," the statement said.

There are 214 people onboard the planes who are the nationals of Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Afghan students enrolled in Russian higher education institutions, the ministry said.

"The planes will deliver the evacuated citizens to the Chkalovsky Airport in the Moscow region," TASS cited the statement as saying.

The planes will refuel twice: at Gissar and Kant airports, in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, respectively, the ministry said.