16 January, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Joint exercises of rescuers from Belarus and Russia will be held in the summer of 2012 in the Vitebsk region. This was announced today at a press conference by Vasily Chekan, Head of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In accordance with the decision made last year at the joint board of the Ministries of Emergency Situations of Belarus and Russia, the two departments will conduct large-scale tactical and special exercises. The chosen venue is the Dubrovensky and Orshansky districts, bordering Russia. It is expected that the theme of the exercises will be the elimination of man-made emergencies. From the Russian side, forces and means of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation for the elimination of accidents and emergencies on main oil, gas, and product pipelines will participate. According to Vasily Chekan, conducting such exercises contributes to the interaction of rescue services and enhances professionalism. Similar exercises of Belarusian rescuers with their colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania have proven effective. -0-

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