The operational group of the Russian Emergencies Ministry arrived in Stepanakert on Monday to assist the local population, TASS correspondent reports.
The group consisted of 30 specialists: representatives of the central office of the department, rescuers of the Center for rescue operations of special risk "Lider", signalers and others. They brought the necessary equipment and field camp with them.
On the spot, the group will be enlarged with 150 rescuers and an airmobile hospital ready for departure in Moscow.
Humanitarian Response Center
On Sunday night the plane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry with specialists and equipment landed in Yerevan. As the head of the Ministry of Emergencies of the Russian Federation Evgeny Zinichev reported, "an operational group of specialists from the central apparatus on the spot will assess the situation and coordinate further actions to provide the necessary assistance to the civilian population".
Earlier, the National Defense Management Center of Russia reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense had begun forming the Interdepartmental Center for Humanitarian Response in Stepanakert. In order to increase its grouping, an operational group of the Russian Emergencies Ministry is being relocated from Sunday to become part of the departmental rapid response center. In the near future, the group will also be built up with the help of the Russian FSB Border Guard Service and representatives of other federal executive agencies.
On November 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on creating an Interdepartmental center of humanitarian response for Nagorno Karabakh. It comprised representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FSB, representatives of other "interested federal executive bodies", and the Ministry of Defense was assigned to solve organizational issues.
On September 27, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated and active battles began on the disputed territory. On November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a joint statement on the complete cessation of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh. The document provides, in particular, for the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region.
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Photo: EMERCOM of Russia