MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2020) The Russian Aerospace Forces have prepared the air group for the delivery of aid to Italy in the fight against coronavirus, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
"In accordance with the instructions of the Russian Defense Minister, Army Gen. Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Aerospace Forces completed the creation of the necessary air group to deliver forces and equipment of the Russian Defense Ministry allocated to assist the Italian Republic in the fight against coronavirus," the statement says.
The ministry added that nine military transport aircraft Il-76 with trained crews had been transferred to the Chkalovsky military airfield in the Moscow Region from Pskov, Ulyanovsk and Orenburg regions.
The group of about 100 people, including experienced virologists and epidemiologists, is ready to depart to Italy, the ministry said.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte by phone that Russia was ready to promptly assist Rome in the fight against coronavirus. The defense ministry then said that Russia would send eight mobile teams of Russian military virologists and doctors, vehicles for aerosol disinfection and medical equipment to Italy.
