Russian specialists help clear S. Ossetia's territory of mines - Emergency Situations Ministry
MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax) - Bomb disposal experts from Russia's Leader special risk rescue operations center have begun clearing new territories in South Ossetia of mines, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry press service told Interfax on Monday.
"Specialists from the Leader special risk rescue operations center have begun clearing the territories of the Republic of South Ossetia of mines," the source said.
A unit of the Leader center has come to South Ossetia for two years in a row, the source said. "In that time, over 50 hectares of land have been cleared of mines and over 350 explosive objects have been found. The group operating in South Ossetia is led by Anatoly Savvin, first deputy head of the Leader center. The group, which will stay in the republic until the end of June, comprises 30 of the most experienced pyrotechnics specialists, many of which worked in the republic last year, he said.
Mine clearance work in the republic is associated with a high degree of risk because almost all munitions have gone through the bore of a weapon and are classed at the 2nd degree of danger, Russian Emergency Situations Ministry specialists said. "The bomb disposal specialists are working manually, using conventional Vallon and AKA metal detectors, while a MV4 robotic system, which is operated remotely, is used in areas that are difficult to access, which makes it possible to make the specialists' work safer," the ministry said.