Russian Defence Ministry Helps Those Who Suffered From Frosts and Snowdrifts

The Russian defence ministry helps the local bodies of authority and the population who found themselves in a difficult situation because of strong frosts and snowdrifts. On the instructions of Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov this work has been carried out in the Leningrad and Far Eastern military districts since January 9th.

RIA Novosti was told at the press service of the Defence Ministry that a special operative group was created in the Leningrad military district. The military delivered thirty furnaces and four heat generators for warming entrances and basements as well as two diesel-electric power stations to the regions which were hit hardest by bad weather conditions. Every day, at the request of the local authorities the commanders of the district send 100 servicemen to render assistance in the rescue and restoration operations.

In the Far Eastern military district up to 200 servicemen and engineering equipment are being sent to clear the roads from snowdrifts every day and night. In the Sakhalin island servicemen have cleared more than 150 km of motor roads. More than 40 seriously ill local inhabitants were delivered to hospitals by the military transportation means. The servicemen delivered more than 100 tons of flour to the local bread-baking plants.