January 5. Alma-Ata Airport.
People arrived at the airport and were waiting to check in for an Air Astana flight, but their peace of mind was suddenly undermined by looters breaking into the building.
The airport staff promptly escorted the passengers to the plane, where they sat for 15 hours. Looters were in the airport at that moment, according to eyewitnesses, they even tried to break into the plane.
People sat quietly and tried to pretend they were not there.
After the airport was calmer, they were released from the plane.
Elena Serko hid in one of the hotels, barricading the door with chairs. She hasn’t been in touch since.
At the moment more than 40 Russians are still unable to leave Kazakhstan. They are trying to return them to their homeland through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.