MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Russia has not received any requests from Greece to provide assistance in extinguishing wildfires, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"There have been no requests from Athens for assistance," the diplomat said, replying to a question on the matter.
"Our hearts go out to the people of Greece over the emergency situation now unfolding in connection with the large-scale wildfires that are raging in the country. We express our condolences over the death of the crew of a firefighting plane on the island of Evia on July 25," Zakharova added.
Firefighters have been battling a wildfire on Rhodes, which is currently spreading in the southeastern section of the Aegean Sea island, for a week. On Sunday, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) reported, citing the Greek police, that about 19,000 people had been evacuated from the island. According to the news agency, this is the largest operation for transporting residents and tourists ever carried out in Greece. Currently, Rhodes is hosting over 200,000 tourists.
In addition to Rhodes, wildfires are being put out on the islands of Corfu and Evia as well as in a number of other locations where fires have recurred. A massive wildfire on Corfu may have been caused by arson.