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Russia’s Defense Ministry sends trucks with construction materials to fire-hit Khakassia

The fires that quickly spread across the republic damaged 1,328 private houses and left 4,694 people without shelter

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry has sent 28 Kamaz trucks to help eliminate the consequences of fires in the Republic of Khakassia in south Siberia, Assistant to the Commander of the Central Military District, Colonel Yaroslav Roshchupkin said on Sunday.

A hurricane wind that hit the republic last week was a major cause for large-spread fires in populated areas of Khakassia. The fires that quickly spread across the republic damaged 1,328 private houses and left 4,694 people without shelter. The fires killed 30 people while two persons went missing. Total damage from the fires is estimated at over 7 billion rubles ($135 million).

"Today, a convoy of vehicles loaded with ferroconcrete units and other construction materials completed its 800 km march from the Kemerovo Region to Abakan," the assistant said.

Russian army specialists will start work on Monday in the areas of Khakassia that suffered most from the fires, the assistant said.

During his annual question-and-answer conference on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin set the task to build about 2,000 houses anew by September 1 for people who had lost their housing in the fires in Khakassia.