ST.PETERSBURG. Aug 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Sappers of the 76th guard airborne division fulfilled all requests for the elimination of WWII explosive devices in July, a source in the engineering troops headquarters in the Leningrad military district told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
"As many as 790 shells, mines and grenades were defused in the Pskov region, and 905 pieces of ammo were blasted in the Novgorod region. Most of them are artillery and mortar shells," the source said.
Many years of practice have shown that the intensity of mine clearance operations does not decline in August, as harvesting begins this month, he said.
Due to the division's transition to professional service many active duty soldiers and former sappers, who have gained experience in local military conflicts and peacekeeping activities, are planning to sign a military contract, the source stressed.
"This will help boost professional skills of the entire personnel of engineering units, increase the quality of engineering support of combat training and mine clearance at sites of World War II battles," the source added.
Sappers of the district have evacuated 39 explosive devices from St. Petersburg and destroyed them since the beginning of July. Among them are a 152mm artillery shell found when digging a trench and an artillery shell found on the territory of the Baltika brewery. The ammo is more often found at sites of World War II battles, but sometimes they are brought to the city with sand from borrow pits.