Some 200 Russians To Leave US On Evacuation Flight From Los Angeles May 4 - Ambassador

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd May, 2020) Some 200 Russian citizens will leave the United States on the next evacuation flight scheduled from Los Angeles on Monday, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.

"Russia diplomats are vigorously working on the so-called evacuation flight from the United States to Russia that will indeed take place on May 4," Antonov said on Friday. "Right now, as far as we know, some 200 people would like to leave on this flight."

Antonov explained the decision to schedule the evacuation flight from Los Angeles came because many Russians remain on the West Coast of the United States who are unable to return home because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Russian ambassador expressed hope the majority of the Russian citizens from that part of the United States will be evacuated.

"I wanted to bring your attention that due to quarantine restrictions, when preparing the list of the passengers, the focus was made on the Russians, living in Moscow, Moscow region, Leningrad region, Vladimir region, Ivanonvo region, Kaluga region, Ryazan region, Smolensk region as well as the regions of Tver, Tula, Yaroslav, Bryansk, Orel, Lipetsk, Tambov, Voronezh, Kursk, Vologda, Kostroma, Nizhniy Novgorod, Penza and the Republic of Mordovia," Antonov said.

The ambassador pointed out that the Russian Embassy is also doing outreach to explain the sanitary-quarantine requirements upon returning to Russia both in the Moscow region and in the place of their residence.

"We continue to pay special attention to the Russian nationals who found themselves in especially difficult life situation: to the families with underage children, people with chronic diseases or those requiring urgent medical assistance. We will do utmost to include them in this flight observing the relevant conditions," Antonov said.

The cumulative total of COVID-19 cases worldwide has reached 3,321,000 with 237,180 deaths, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

The United States has the highest case count of more than 1 million cases, followed by Spain with over 215,000 cases and Italy with more than 205,000 cases.