The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced on Friday that the first column with Russian military personnel and special equipment performing tasks to assist in the fight against the spread of coronavirus infection in Italy marches from the point of temporary deployment of the Orio-al-Serio airfield in Bergamo to the Villafranca airfield in Verona.

“Upon arrival at the airfield, personnel and equipment will be loaded onto Russian military transport aircraft Il-76 for departure to their Homeland,” the news release says.

It is planned to make two flights and deliver about 20 military personnel and 4 units of special equipment to Russia.

Between March 22 and 25, 15 Russian planes delivered almost 100 Russian virologists and epidemiologists, eight medical brigades, as well as diagnostics and disinfection equipment to Italy. Russian specialists worked in one of the most affected areas of Italy — the city of Bergamo and its surroundings.

By May 5, the Russian military specialists jointly with the Italian military had carried out complete disinfection at nursing homes in more than 90 populated areas in Lombardy. In particular, they decontaminated 114 buildings and structures, over 1.1 million square meters of internal premises and more than 400,000 square meters of paved roads.