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Putin assures Erdogan of Russia’s readiness to assist Turkey in post-quake cleanup

The Russian president expressed deep condolences to Erdogan in connection with the devastating earthquakes that resulted in heavy casualties

MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. In a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia's readiness to assist Turkey in eliminating the consequences of earthquakes, the Kremlin’s press service has said.

"Putin confirmed Russia’s readiness to immediately furnish assistance to the Turkish partners in eliminating the consequences of this natural disaster," the statement reads. Russia's specific proposals "have already been transmitted to the Turkish side through the appropriate channels."

Putin expressed deep condolences to Erdogan in connection with the devastating earthquakes that resulted in heavy casualties.

Erdogan thanked Putin "for such a prompt and sincere response and said that he was instructing the authorities concerned to accept the Russian rescuers’ assistance."

A powerful earthquake rocked the province of Kahramanmaras in southeastern Turkey on Monday, killing more than 1,000 in Turkey and more than 400 others in neighboring Syria. Those injured number in the thousands. Initially, the magnitude was estimated at 7.4, but later the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority revised it upwards to 7.7. Later, another earthquake of magnitude 7.7 was recorded in Turkey.

Many countries, including Russia, have offered assistance to Ankara and Damascus in dealing with the aftermath of the natural disaster. Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry is sending two Ilyushin-76 aircraft with rescuers to Turkey.