MOSCOW, March 19 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Presidential Council for Human Rights is concerned with the situation hundreds of Russian citizens have found themselves in as they are unable to return home from countries, which have closed air travel due to the spread of the coronavirus, the press-service of the Council informs on Thursday.

The most serious case, the human rights body notes, has been that of Russian tourists until recently stranded in Montenegro.

The Council expresses its satisfaction with the fact that the problem could be timely settled and the concern voiced by the Russian authorities and the civil society was heeded of, as Montenegro permitted Russian airlines to make a few flights bringing home more than a thousand of Russian nationals, the statement reads.

Nevertheless, the Council observes, the extent of the problem becomes even more serious taking into account the information that Russians have become hostages of cancelled flights across many other countries. The body urges the authorities of such nations to promptly cooperate with Russia’s Foreign Ministry and its diplomatic missions in an effort to return home Russian tourists, its Chair Valery Fadeyev states.

According to the Council's information, about two thousand Russian citizens have already turned for help to the Foreign Ministry; the calls for assistance come from Egypt, Moldova, Morocco, the Philippines, and a number of other countries.