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Arctic rescue center put on combat duty in Russia's Murmansk

Hoping for increased cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route, Russia in 2009 allocated funds for construction of 10 search and rescue centers along the route

MURMANSK, October 21. /TASS/. A specialized Arctic rescue center of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry opened in the port of Murmansk on Wednesday.

"We are opening another Arctic center that will ensure integrated safety and security of the population of the Polar region, all companies, both Russian and foreign that will work here, make investment and develop production," Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said.

"The Emergencies Ministry will use in the new Arctic center modern technology for prevention and control of emergencies in operations in the Arctic conditions," Puchkov said.

Puchkov also passed to the Murmansk fire fighters and rescuers new equipment, including all-terrain vehicles for working in the difficult Arctic conditions. In addition, Puchkov said, the ministry’s aviation will be on duty at the centre. "The Arctic centre will be supported by the Emergencies Ministry aviation that will be put on combat duty here," he said. The use of aircraft will facilitate the rescue efforts, improve the emergency response efficiency. The aircraft will also be used in preventive measures.

The Arctic rescue center has been built within the framework of the federal target programme "Risk reduction and mitigation of natural and man-made disasters in the Russian Federation." It is the third Arctic center in Russia’s North-Western Federal District. The first two centers were opened in the cities of Arkhangelsk and Naryan-Mar.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry’s Arctic rescue center is located on the shore of the Kola Bay. It is intended for prevention and control of natural and man-made disasters in the Arctic zone of the Murmansk region with the total area of 847,000 square km.

Hoping for increased cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route, Russia in 2009 allocated 910 million roubles (some €20.6 million at the time) for construction of 10 search and rescue centers along the route, from Murmansk in the West to Provideniya Bay in the East.

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