MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. More than 17,000 explosive devices have been neutralized by sappers of Russia's Emergencies Ministry's Main Directorate for the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) since the beginning of this year, the ministry's press service told TASS.

"Since the beginning of the year, sappers of [the Main Directorate of] Russia's Emergencies Ministry for the DPR have cleared more than 17,000 explosive devices in the liberated territories," the press service said. "Among them are anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, munitions dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles, artillery and cluster munitions and unexploded mortar shells."

Demining remains one of the key tasks of sappers who thoroughly inspect roads, bridges, and areas adjacent to buildings, the ministry noted. Specialists promptly check areas under power lines so that power engineers can start their work safely. In total, sappers have inspected about 100 hectares of territory since January this year.

Russia's Emergencies Ministry added that another important task for its specialists is debris removal. "Using special equipment, rescuers have dismantled and removed about 2,000 cubic meters of damaged slabs and reinforced concrete structures since May 19. Employees of Russia's Emergencies Ministry have all the necessary equipment and gear. Rescuers work nonstop every day," the press service said.