Part of the Russian military detachment that has been based in Italy to assist the country's response to the COVID-19 outbreak has traveled from the city of Bergamo to Verona and will fly back to Russia later on Friday, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th May, 2020) Part of the Russian military detachment that has been based in Italy to assist the country's response to the COVID-19 outbreak has traveled from the city of Bergamo to Verona and will fly back to Russia later on Friday, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday.
"The first unit of Russian troops who have combated COVID-19 in Italy have moved from Bergamo to Verona and will fly back from there on Friday to Russia ... On May 8, two flights are planned bringing back around 20 personnel and four pieces of special equipment," the ministry said.
On Wednesday, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced the gradual withdrawal of nuclear, biological, and chemical protection troops that assisted Italy during the epidemiological crisis.
From March 22, Russian military virologists and epidemiological experts began arriving in Italy on 15 separate Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft. In total, eight medical and nursing teams arrived in the country to provide vital treatment and disinfect medical facilities and retirement homes.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte personally expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the assistance and Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio met the military specialists who arrived at the Pratica di Mare airbase.
