MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Interior Ministry Forces have started providing security to another 440 cities across Russia in 2004, Colonel General Nikolai Rogozhkin, Interior Ministry Forces Commander-in-Chief, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
"The Interior Ministry Forces have started providing security to another 440 cites, including colleges, kindergartens, hospitals, airports, railway stations, broadcasting stations, and subway," Rogozhkin said.
He noted that given a constant terrorism threat, the Interior Ministry Forces provided reliable security to crucial state facilities, including ten nuclear power stations.
He emphasized the important role of operational control groups, established in the Southern federal district.
"A total of 12 special tactical exercises have been conducted since these groups were established, in order to refine cooperation between various establishments, involved in such groups, as well as their activities in an emergency," he said.
Rogozhkin noted that the groups were permanent special bodies, designed to carry out direct control over joint units, allocated for combating saboteurs and terrorists, as well as managing aftereffects of terrorist attacks.
Operational control groups include special purpose units of the Interior Ministry Forces, Special Purpose Police Units, Special Rapid-Deployment Units, Defense Ministry units, and Emergencies Ministry units.
Operational control groups are headed by officers of the Interior Ministry Forces. They are responsible for taking decision on deployment of available forces in an emergency, Rogozhkin said.