Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Orders Voluntary Evacuation of Russians From Gaza

Mohammed Abed / AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a voluntary evacuation Thursday of Russian and ex-Soviet republic citizens from the Gaza Strip amid deadly violence between its Islamist rulers Hamas and Israel. 

Putin’s decree published on the government’s legal portal comes 10 days after Hamas militants fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel and Israeli air strikes killed 230 Palestinians, including 65 children. Israeli police said that Hamas rockets, most of which were intercepted by Iron Dome air defenses, killed 12 people, including one child.

The decree orders to “make provisions for the evacuation of citizens of the Russian Federation and citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States [CIS] who have expressed such a wish.”

Putin’s decree orders Russia’s SVR spy agency, the Emergency Situations Ministry and the Foreign Ministry to set specific evacuation timeframes. 

Russia’s cabinet of ministers is also ordered to implement measures needed to carry out the voluntary evacuations.

The United Nations said some 75,000 civilians have fled their homes in Gaza, a crowded enclave of 2 million people which has been under Israeli blockade for 14 years.

Russia’s ambassador in Israel said in an interview published Thursday that Russian nationals have appealed to its diplomatic mission in the Palestinian National Authority for an evacuation from the conflict zone.

The state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported later Thursday that around 400 Russian and CIS citizens are listed among the Gaza evacuees.

Putin has joined world leaders in calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more