For four years in South Ossetia, demining works were taking place in the territories of the settlements Pris, Isaky Kau, Novokurtatinsky gorge and near the village of Zar, the total area of the cleaned area is 130 hectares, more than 1049 explosive items were found, the head of Department of pyrotechnic and special cynological works of the center "Leader" Colonel Alexey Zavatsky told journalists.
In April, the sappers of the Center for Rescue Operations of Special Risk “Leader” of the Emergencies Ministry of the Russian Federation arrived in South Ossetia to perform the tasks of cleaning up the territories of South Ossetia from explosive objects. The last site was the most intense and dangerous - the village of Zar.
At this stage, they completed the cleaning of the territories of South Ossetia. In this regard, today at the place of deployment of the detachment - on the Zar road, a solemn formation of the detachment’s personnel took place. President Anatoly Bibilov, Parliament Speaker Alan Tadtaev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to South Ossetia South Ossetia Marat Kulakhmetov and other officials came to congratulate the sappers on the completion of their work activities.
Noble mission
Anatoly Bibilov thanked the sappers for their high-level work in South Ossetia.
“Your work is aimed at ensuring the safety of the local population. And for us, for our Republic - this is very important. A real terrorist act was committed on this territory in the early 1990s, and a column of refugees was shot.
Today, thanks to you, these areas are cleared. Most importantly, you are all healthy and will return home unscathed. Thank you for the noble mission,” the head of state addressed the sappers.
According to Ambassador Marat Kulakhmetov, every year the staff of the Center shows good results, and expressed gratitude for the good work.
Worthy evaluation
Employees of the “Leader” Center detachment were awarded state awards - medals, diplomas, etc., for their fruitful work in cleaning up the territory of the RSO from explosive devices. The head of state presented the Order of Friendship to Alexei Zavatsky, Head of the Directorate for Pyrotechnic and Special Cynological Works at the Leader Center for Rescue Operations of Special Risk, who for several years headed the demining team for demining the territories in South Ossetia.
Also, to sappers, awards and memorable gifts on behalf of the Russian Embassy in South Ossetia were presented by Ambassador Marat Kulakhmetov.
The head of "Center for Rescue Operations of Special Risk" Leader "Anatoly Savvin has stressed that the task assigned to them by the President of Russia and the leadership of the Emergencies Ministry was adequately fulfilled for four years.
“I am sure that the cleared territory can be safely used both in the national economy and for other purposes. But if the need for further tasks is required, the EMERCOM of Russia in the person of the Leader Center is ready to carry out the work. Thanks to the South Ossetian colleagues for their hospitality, for their meetings, for their human attitude towards the personnel of the detachment,” said Savvin.
The work took place in the normal mode
Colonel Alexei Zavatsky has noted that the Leader team of the rescue center completed the fourth and final stage of cleaning the area from explosive objects in South Ossetia.
“The squad personnel cleared an area of 22 hectares, 286 explosive items were found, neutralized and destroyed. The work took place on two work sites; it was complicated by the harsh conditions of the mountain-wooded area, slopes, and the presence of dense vegetation. Robotics, domestic search and detection devices were used in the work, and during ammunition neutralization there were cases of engineering mine ammunition being undermined,” he noted.
According to him, the greatest danger was represented by PMN-2, OZM-72, POMZ anti-personnel mines, and, of course, the anti-tank mines TM-62M and TM-57.
“The sappers of the Leader Center carried out the work at a high professional level, in compliance with all safety requirements. We have done everything to ensure a normal peaceful life on the territory of the Republic,” the Colonel emphasized.
As noted by Zavatsky, the work went normally, the sappers professionally worked out each signal, and in the case of detecting anti-personnel mines, they used a robotic complex.
Acting Minister of Emergency Situations of the RSO Atsamaz Bestauty expressed his gratitude to the Center "Leader" staff, who for four years have been demining the territory of the Republic.
“The legacy of the war left us a lot of littered areas that we couldn’t clean up on our own. At our request in the EMERCOM of Russia, they responded positively, they sent professionals who worked perfectly. Now we can use the cleaned area for a variety of purposes.
Now the Ministry of Emergency Situations of South Ossetia will carry out the work to clarify the places to be cleaned, and if necessary, they will appeal to the President of the Russian Federation and the leadership of the EMERCOM of the Russian Federation.
“I think they will not refuse us, and the guys will help the South Ossetian people again,” Bestauty stressed.
Then the explosion of explosive objects found on the territory of the settlement Zar took place. Also, the Acceptance Certificate for the cleaned area from explosive objects was signed. The document was signed by Aleksey Zavatsky and the head of the Tskhinval District Vakhtang Mamitov.
