Russia's Tourism and Sports Ministry has announced that all Russians located in Tunisia will be evacuated on Sunday on a Transaero charter flight.
"At present, there are some 200 Russian tourists in Tunisia. If a flight corridor near Tunis is open, they will all leave tomorrow morning on a Transaero flight," Deputy Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policies Nadezhda Nazina said on Saturday.
Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled his country amid protests that turned violent earlier on Friday. The ousted president was reported to have fled to Saudi Arabia after France denied him political asylum.
Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi took over as Tunisia's interim leader on Friday, saying the president was incapable of fulfilling his duties. The country's armed forces entered the capital Tunis and took up key positions around the city, including the presidential palace, ministries and the international airport.
Tunisia plunged into chaos in mid-December, when thousands of people took to the streets to protest the state's economic policies. The violence was sparked when a peddler tried to commit suicide by setting fire to himself after the authorities banned him from selling vegetables in the street without permission.
Riots continued on Friday even after the president dismissed the government and announced early elections. Protestors demanded the immediate resignation of the president, who has been in power since 1987.
MOSCOW, January 15 (RIA Novosti)
