Russian troops clear over 15,400 explosive objects in Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian mine action specialists have surveyed an area of more than 250 hectares in Nagorno-Karabakh to spot and clear explosive objects, the press service of the Russian emergencies ministry told TASS on Thursday, February 11.

"Over the period of their mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, mine action specialists have surveyed an area of more than 250 hectares to spot and clear around 15,400 explosive objects," it said.

According to the ministry, specialists finished mine action works in Nagorno-Karabakh’s Martuni Province on Wednesday. "Over a period of one month, an area of more than 160 hectares in this province was cleared of explosive objects. Nearly 600 pieces of munitions, including artillery shells, anti-tank and land mines, air bombs, cluster bombs, fragments of Grad and Smerch missiles and cartridges of various caliber were found and destroyed," the ministry said.

Now, the Russian specialists have moved to the Martakert Province to survey an area of more than 425 hectares.

Meanwhile, another team of Russian mine action specialists is continuing a humanitarian demining mission in Azerbaijan’s Agdam district. An area of 15.4 hectares has already been surveyed, with 710 explosive objects, including 330 landmines and more than 170 anti-tank mines being found and destroyed. Specialists with dog are also involved in the mission.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side has returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.