Azerbaijan repatriates over 500 citizens from Russia

Azerbaijan has repatriated over 500 more citizens stranded on the border with Russia’s South Caucasus Republic of Dagestan due to coronavirus lockdown, Russian media has reported.

A special corridor has been organized for the repatriation of citizens of both countries who could not return on time due to the closure of borders amid the spread of COVID-19.

Azerbaijani citizens stranded in Dagestan, are placed in temporary accommodation centers, built specially for this purpose. The center’s residents are sent home in groups every week on Tuesdays.

Thus, this week 460 people were included in the list, and in total more than 500 people, including children, were repatriated to Azerbaijan on September 1.

According to the report, about 1,000 people are waiting to return to Azerbaijan from Derbent region. Of them, 400 citizens are placed in temporary accommodation centers.

It should be noted that Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and head of Dagestan Vladimir Vasilyev agreed on June 23 to increase the number of citizens returning across the state border, in line with the instructions of Azerbaijan and Russian presidents.

Thus, according to the weekly schedule, 120 people crossed Samur checkpoint on May 19, 131 people on May 26, 122 people on June 2, 130 people on June 9, 155 people on June 16, 252 citizens on June 23, 250 citizens on June 30, 250 citizens on July 7, 260 citizens on August 4, 262 citizens on August 12 , 400 citizens on August 19 and 400 more on August 25.

The country closed its borders with Russia over COVID-19 on March 18.