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Africa, Latin America to take part in Russian Emergencies Ministry's Arctic drills

The drills in the Russian Arctic will be held on April 6-7 in nine regions of Russia

MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. Nine foreign countries will take part in the Russian Emergencies Ministry's drills in the Arctic, Alexander Bondar, director of the department for educational and scientific-technical activities, said on Thursday.

"Forty foreign participants from nine countries have confirmed their participation, which was a pleasant surprise for us. The geography of participation has changed slightly compared to the first drill. <...> now the interest of the participants is a little different. It is no longer the countries of the Arctic Council, but the countries of the Eurasian region, African countries, Latin American countries that are interested in technology and equipment that can work in the Arctic," he said.

The drills in the Russian Arctic will be held on April 6-7 in nine regions of Russia. Sixteen emergency situations will be worked out: accidents in mines in Norilsk and Karelia, a shipwreck on the Northern Sea Route, a fire with the threat of radiation release on the nuclear ship in Murmansk, at the thermal power plant in Anadyr, at the Prirazlomnaya platform, and others. These drills will be the second large-scale maneuvers in the Arctic carried out by the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

Daniil Martynov, an adviser to the Emergency Situations Minister, revealed that for the first time the department will conduct an Arctic expedition as part of the drills. They will start on March 26 in Naryan-Mar, and a day before that a combat training will be held in Usinsk. The expedition will consist of 56 rescuers from various units of the Emergencies Ministry, including doctors from the airmobile hospital and 20 civilian specialists representing manufacturers of equipment and experts. The participants will travel through the three regions, testing equipment and clothing made by domestic manufacturers.

"The route has been planned to be as extreme as possible: along the shore of the Arctic Ocean, in the snowy tundra. There will be cold nights in Arctic tents, as well as planned nights in the equipment," Martynov added.

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