MOSCOW. Feb 4 (Interfax) - The first military plane has departed for China to repatriate Russian citizens from the coronavirus zone, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement seen by Interfax on Tuesday.
"The first plane of the Russian Aerospace Forces has departed from an airfield of the Eastern Military District to evacuate Russian citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan," the statement said.
The plane is carrying military medics and virology specialists of the Russian Defense Ministry, as well as modern diagnostic kits, individual protection means, and medication, it said.
The Eastern Military District press service reported earlier that planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces were being prepared at Ulan-Ude Baikal International Airport in Buryatia for repatriating Russian citizens from the Hubei province.
Five Ilyushin Il-76MD military transport planes are due to participate in the operation.
A total of 132 Russian citizens have expressed the desire to leave the Hubei province as of Tuesday morning, the Russian embassy in Beijing said.