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Coronavirus pandemic

Serbian PM says Russia is example of how to behave amid epidemic

The Serbian prime minister noted that Russia’s assistance had reached he country at the most difficult moment since the coronavirus outbreak

BELGRADE, April 3. /TASS/. Russia is demonstrating the whole world how to behave amid an epidemic, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Friday welcoming Russian military doctors at the Batajnica airbase near Belgrade.

"Having sent assistance to the United States, Russia has demonstrated how important help is in the present-day world," she said.

She thanked Russian specialists first in Serbian, then in Russian, saying "All-embracing and unfailing gratitude to Russia, especially when you need it all yourself."

Read also

COVID-19 situation in Russia develops favorably so far, says minister

The Serbian prime minister noted that Russia’s assistance had reached he country at the most difficult moment since the coronavirus epidemics outbreak. "This assistance has come on the most hard day of anti-coronavirus fight when we are in for the most difficult weeks of the epidemic. At this very moment, we have eight deaths, and this is the biggest daily death toll, and the biggest number of those infected - 305. Your arrival means a lot. Thank you for coming here with a team of doctors, special biological defense units, disinfecting machines, and medical aid containers," she stressed.

Russia’s Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko wished success to the Russian medics in their responsible work. "I am convinced that this assistance has arrived just in time and it will help reverse the situation for the better," he said.

Two first Russian military transport planes arrived in Serbia on Friday to help it cope with the novel coronavirus epidemic. In all, it is planned to send eleven flights to that country. The Russian planes are delivering military medics, virologists of radiological, chemical and biological protection troops, special medical equipment and also protective gear and 16 items of military hardware.

Russia started to deliver aid to Serbia from April 3 on the instruction from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held telephone talks with President Putin on April 2. The Kremlin press office reported after the talks that Russia would provide humanitarian assistance to Serbia and send doctors and disinfection specialists to the Balkan country.

As of 3:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. Moscow time) on April 3, the number of coronavirus cases in Serbia grew to 1,476 while the virus death toll climbed to 39 people.

Serbia has fully closed its borders, declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew. The Serbian authorities have cancelled the parliamentary elections and halted the inter-urban bus and railway service. People aged above 65 are prohibited to leave their homes.

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