MOSCOW. April 4 (Interfax-AVN) - A joint aviation team of the Defense and Emergencies Ministries will combat ice-jams on rivers during spring flood.
"The joint aviation team tasked to destroy ice-jams on rivers through bombing them is already established. It consists of 24 SU-24 Fencer frontline bombers and SU-25 Frogfoot attack planes of the Defense Ministry, as well as 13 MI-8 Hip helicopters of the Emergencies Ministry," the Emergencies Ministry's press service official Colonel Viktor Beltsov told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
According to him, Russia's northwestern regions, Siberia and the Far East will be the most dangerous areas during the flood.
"The situation is expected to be the most complicated on rivers in the Arkhangelsk and Vologda regions, as well as in the internal republic of Yakutia. The main strike on ice-jams in two regions of the Northwestern federal district will be inflicted by two Defense Ministry aircraft groups consisting of four planes each, while in Yakutia strikes will be inflicted by four groups consisting of four planes each. Helicopters of the Emergencies Ministry will mostly be used in other regions," Beltsov said.
He stressed that helicopters of the army aviation and Emergencies Ministry will conduct round-the-clock reconnaissance of ice situation on rivers.