MINSK. Nov 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Researchers of the Gomel affiliate of the Radiation Medicine Institute have completed an analysis of the radiation situation in the Gomel border guard detachment which operates on the Russia-Belarus border, a spokesman for the Belarussian state border guard troops committee told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
The researchers checked over 600 servicemen and found out that the personnel's radiation doze was within regular limits. A similar inspection will soon be carried out in the Pinsk border guard detachment while the Gomel detachment will be checked again in one year.
The radiation situation analysis in the troops operating on the Russia-Belarus border in the area of the Chernobyl distaster was launched in 1998 when border guards started receiving bonuses for carrying out service in contaminated areas. At the same time the researchers were developing devices for radiation reconnaissance, radiological detection and decontamination which allowed border guards to accomplish planned missions more effectively. In particular, the contamination level was decreased some 60 times in summer last year after decontamination of the area near the Slovechno terminal.
The special training took place at the Belarussian-Ukrainian border in May this year when the researchers thoroughly inspected nine checkpoints and a river boat garrison of the Belarussian border guard troops. In general the radiation level was stable and did not violate the stated norms. The only place the researchers had to work at was the Aleksandrovka border guard control department where the contamination level exceeded norms.
The Belarussian servicemen operating in the Chernobyl disaster area are entitled to an additional holiday of seven and more days, compulsory sanitarium treatment once a year or reimbursement for it, and bonuses to salaries which are being received by all Belarussian citizens living in contaminated areas.