MOSCOW. March 21 (Interfax) - The Crimean and Sevastopol emergency agencies will join the united system of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, the ministry's spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky told reporters on Friday.
"In accordance with the Russian presidential decree 'On the recognition of the Republic of Crimea' and based on the Russian-Crimean agreement 'On the admission to Russia of the Republic of Crimea and the formation of new constituent regions within Russia' the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has ordered that the Main Emergencies Directorate for the Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol Emergencies Directorate be incorporated into the united system of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry," Drobyshevsky said.
Management is being carried out via video link, he said.
Russian Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov has already given official Russian IDs to Crimean and Sevastopol emergency officials.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's order "On changes to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's list of territorial offices by region" has been signed and is now to be registered by the Justice Ministry, Drobyshevsky said.
"The ministry is developing a plan of priority measures to ensure safety of vital activities for the population and smooth functioning of social infrastructure assets in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, given the presence of potentially hazardous facilities in the Crimean peninsula and the risks of a natural and man-made emergencies," the emergency official said.
The ministry has already considered compensations for Crimean and Sevastopol emergency staff for the debt amassed as a result of delayed salaries and other social security payouts, the spokesperson said.
"A team has travelled to Crimea to organize the work within the competence of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry and has begun its work," Drobyshevsky added.