MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - Over 2,000 Russian troops are engaged in rescue and rebuilding work in Chechnya while rebels periodically fire at them, a Defense Ministry official told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
Servicemen evacuated 202 people from flooded areas, rebuilt seven kilometers of roads and delivered 115 tonnes of cargo on Wednesday, the official said. "They are doing it while fighting skirmishes with rebels who stage bombing attacks and fire at them," he said.
More than 3,000 servicemen of the North Caucasus military district and unified federal troops group have taken part in relief and rescue works in southern European Russia on Wednesday, the official noted. More than 260 automobiles, armored vehicles, tanks, pieces of engineering and special machinery and four MI-8 Hip helicopters were involved in provision of aid to residents of the Southern federal districts. A total of 536 people were evacuated, including 128 by helicopters.