Nine Il-76 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered to the Italian Republic about 100 Russian military specialists, equipment and property to assist in the fight against coronavirus infection.
In the shortest possible time, mobile complexes with equipment for diagnostics and disinfection measures were delivered to the Italian air force's Pratica di Mare air base, located 30 kilometers southwest of Rome.
At the meeting of the first Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft loaded with equipment and virologists to combat the epidemic on the Italian airbase "Pratica di Mare" Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Italy Enzo Vicherelli thanked Russia for its assistance:
"I would like to express my deep appreciation and gratitude on behalf of entire Italian people for Russian assistance in such a difficult moment for the Italian Republic. I would like to thank you for the large number of materials and specialists who came from Russia to Italy to help."
On behalf of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu ordered to create the aviation group for operational delivery of Russian military specialists to support the Italian Republic in the fight against coronavirus, starting from 22 March.
Russian specialists are provided with the necessary modern equipment, special equipment and medical preparations.
Major General Sergey Kikot, who heads the group of Russian experts, is a leading developer and specialist in the application of the latest samples of special processing systems. Practically performed tasks on organization of work in difficult epidemiological conditions of outbreaks of anthrax, elimination of consequences of floods.
Among Russian specialists, Lieutenant Colonel Gennady Eremin is a leading scientist at the research center, Candidate of Medical Sciences. An expert in the field of organizing and conducting epidemiological activities.
The group also includes Lieutenant Colonel Vyacheslav Kulish, who is a specialist in the development of protection against biological agents of a viral nature. Participated in the development of Ebola vaccines and anti-plague drugs. Expert in the field of virology, organization and conduct of special treatment, as well as anti-epidemic measures.
Lieutenant Colonel of the medical service Alexander Yumanov, Associate Professor of the Military Medical Academy named after S. M. Kirova, Candidate of Medical Sciences will also take part in the work.
In 2019, he participated in the exercises of the military medical services of the ASEAN member States and the dialogue partners of the "ADMM plus" MEDEX-2019 format in India on anti-epidemic support in natural disasters and emergencies. As part of a group of Russian military specialists, he participated in the deployment of a mobile hospital in the Republic of Guinea as part of the international Ebola program.
Also in the group is a leading scientist-epidemiologist, Colonel of medical service Alexey Smirnov, Candidate of Medical Sciences. Author of more than 70 scientific papers devoted to the study of epidemiology and prevention of current infectious diseases.
Actively participated personally in the development of a vaccine against Ebola.
Source - MoD
