KHANKALA. June 6 (Interfax-AVN) - The unified federal headquarters in the North Caucasus has established a service in charge of troops' protection from mines, a spokesman for the headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
The service is tasked to provide efficient counteraction to rebels. It was established at an order from Armed Forces Chief-of- Staff Anatoly Kvashnin. Specialists of the Interior and Defense Ministries, Interior Ministry troops, Federal Security Service, Federal Border Guard Service and federal railway troops service form part of the service.
According to the spokesman, rebels have been staging one or two blasts a day lately. As a rule they cause losses among federals, mainly Interior Ministry servicemen and policemen.
At the same time the spokesman said that the losses could be reduced without any assistance from sappers. "In most of the cases, automobiles and armored vehicles get blasted because they leave without sanctions and follow unchecked routes," the spokesman said.