Sputnik – March 10, 2020
The Russian Defence Ministry will be creating medical special ops units in all military districts starting this year, Russian media reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed military source.
Each of the medical units will comprise around 200 military medics capable of working in acting combat zones, in zones with declared emergency situations and epidemic zones.
Besides military medics and necessary medical equipment, the newly introduced units will also include field kitchens, bathhouses, tents and truck-mounted dressing rooms.
“Highly qualified medics, capable of carrying out complicated surgery are very important in acting combat zones as it can save the health and lives of servicemen. It’s of critical importance to receive professional surgery in the first hours after a heavy injury,” the source said.
According to the source, the medical special ops units could take part in military campaigns as well as conduct peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.
Previously, such units were used for relief efforts in Syria, assisted the authorities of the Republic of Guinea during the Ebola virus outbreak and helped to deal with outcomes of the last year’s devastating floods in Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast.