Fragmentation-protecting mines, anti-personnel mines of directional action were neutralized, all of them were in a controlled form.
Sappers of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's Center for Rescue Operations of Special Risk "Leader" have begun demining the area around the Zar road, team commander Alex Zavadsky told the IA "Res" on Monday.
This year, the "Leader" will hold the fourth stage of cleaning up the territories of South Ossetia.
“Sappers are working at the Zar height. Here it is necessary to clear about 20 hectares of land from explosive objects. At the initial stage, the detachment conducted reconnaissance of the area,” he noted. According to the sappers, this section is more complex than the territories that had been cleared in previous years.
“This area is of a high mine danger. Mines are laid chaotically, we have no forms, in some places we work, one can say, blindly. The guys who directly served here help us with the work, they indicate to us the supposed places for laying mines,” said Zavadsky.
According to him, the survey of the territory is carried out with the help of robotic means, and after that the engineers are involved in the work.
“We use the latest models of search and protection, here is a robotic complex for mechanical cleaning of the area from explosive objects (GP). All this makes it possible to carry out the tasks of manual and mechanical mine clearance in a complex and high-quality manner. At the moment, the sappers were able to clear 1.6 hectares of land, 20 explosive objects were found, including 37 mm artillery shells, 82 mm mortar mines, RGD-33 hand grenade, F-1 hand grenade, all of them were in a controlled version and they were a particular threat,” the commander stressed.
The territory along the Zar road was chosen as one of the priority directions. Until August 2008, military positions were located here, dangerous areas were mined, approaches to the Zar road - the road of life. Until August 2008, it was of strategic importance - as the only transport artery for the Republic, connecting it with the Russian Federation.
Because of the danger of the enemy attacking the road users or blocking the route, then they had to mine the approaches at three sites. After the events of August 2008, it was not possible to carry out demining works, as a result of which there were cases of people being blown up by mines, two hunters came across explosive objects and were seriously injured.
The "Leader" detachment will be working in the territory of South Ossetia for 80 days.
For the entire period of the detachment’s work at the place of deployment, other services of the Republic will carry the service, in particular, emergency doctors, in order to provide the necessary assistance. The works on demining the territory of South Ossetia are carried out on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, according to the agreements of the leadership of the two countries. The areas to be cleaned from explosive objects are determined by the South Ossetian side.
