Front Line's Deputy Director Andrew Anderson is currently on mission in Kyrgyzstan - however the adventures started in the air as they successfully landed in Bishek - on the 4th attempt.

Good old hammer and sickle!

I was not sure if the hammer and sickle on the uniform of the Aeroflot woman at the check in for my flight from Moscow to Bishkek meant the uniform was twenty years old or they just had resisted corporate rebranding.

Our first two attempts to land in Bishkek the pilot had to pull out because of below minimum visability. So he announced we were diverting to Almaty. but he had to pull out of an attempted landing there too. Apparently whilst I was wondering how much extra fuel our plane might carry the weather cleared over Bishkek. We bumped down fourth time lucky. Good old hammer and sickle.

Pictured - Andrew Anderson with human rights defender Tolekan Ismailova outside Bishek prison.