YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. May 26 (Interfax) - A counterterrorism exercise involving security and emergency services has taken place in the city of Kholmsk and the Kholmsk seaport, the press center for the regional branch of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Friday.
According to the exercise scenario, a group of three mock armed terrorists entered the seaport and used a drone to drop an 'explosive device' on a docked vessel with explosive goods on board, it said.
The 'explosion' resulted in casualties and damage to nearby facilities. The 'saboteurs' managed to escape, the press service said.
At the first stage of the exercise, emergency services sealed off the site of the 'incident', carried out a rescue operation, stepped up public order protection, and provided medical aid to mock casualties. During the second stage of the exercise, security services practiced conducting a counterterrorism operation within the administrative boundaries of Kholmsk, during which the 'saboteurs' were successfully neutralized.
The exercise involved personnel and hardware of the territorial branches of the FSB, the Interior Ministry, the Emergency Situations Ministry, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Russian Guard and other agencies, as well as authorities of the Sakhalin region and local administrations.
"The exercise helped check the level of readiness of forces and hardware of the Sakhalin region's operational headquarters to respond to emerging terrorist threats," the press service said.