OREANDA-NEWS. RIA Novosti news agency reports with reference to the Ministry of Defense of Russia that specialists sent to Italian city of Bergamo arrived in it and began to assist residents in the fight against coronavirus epidemic.

“Russian military specialists who arrived in Bergamo have begun the practical implementation of tasks to assist the citizens of the Italian Republic,” the report says. As it is specified by the Ministry, they examined and prepared medical and protective equipment. The laboratory and points of special equipment processing were deployed at the base of the Italian Air Force near Bergamo.

Russian virologists, epidemiologists and medical and nursing teams were delivered to the air base near Rome by 14 Russian military aircrafts on March 23 and 24. Next day, a convoy headed for Bergamo. The Ministry of Defense reported that Russian virologists are to be involved in provision of emergency assistance to the population and processing of healthcare and transport facilities. Eight medical teams will treat patients of 65 boarding houses in which they provide assistance to older people.