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Coronavirus pandemic

Last group of Russian medical experts arrives in Serbia

The Russian Defense Ministry said that consultations between Russian experts and officials from the Serbian Defense and Health Ministries would take place in Belgrade on April 4

Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter

© Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Aerospace Forces have delivered the last batch of equipment and experts to Serbia to help the country combat the coronavirus, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

According to the ministry, the 11th Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft has landed at Batajnica Air Base located 20 kilometers northwest of Belgrade.

As total of 87 military doctors and infectious disease experts, as well as special medical equipment, protective gear and 16 pieces of military hardware were brought to Serbia by Russian aircraft.

The Russian Defense Ministry added that consultations between Russian experts and officials from the Serbian Defense and Health Ministries would take place in Belgrade on Saturday. The meeting’s participants "will determine priorities for Russian medical experts."

On Friday, the first round of Russian-Serbian expert consultations took place at Batajnica Air Base.

Russia began providing aid to Serbia on April 3 in accordance with an order from President Vladimir Putin who had held a telephone conversation with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic on April 2. The Kremlin press service said following the phone call that Moscow would provide humanitarian aid and send doctors to Belgrade.

Serbia reported 1,476 coronavirus cases as of April 3, the death toll currently stands at 39.

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