First Flight Departs: Belarusian Rescuers to Aid Earthquake Victims in Myanmar

Belarus has dispatched a special flight to Myanmar to assist in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster. The country responded to an official request from the authorities of Myanmar.

Under the directive of the head of state, specialists from the "ZUBR" special operations team of the Belarusian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) will be deployed. This team is certified by the UN as an international-class unit.

In total, 66 rescuers, along with canine handlers and four search dogs, and four units of specialized equipment have been sent to the site. The first group departed the Machulishchy airfield aboard a military Il-76 aircraft.

Vadim Sinyavsky, Minister of Emergency Situations of Belarus:

"Our primary and most important task is to search for people trapped under the rubble. We aim to find those who are alive, and unfortunately, there may be others to whom we can no longer provide assistance. Following that, we will address the clearance of the rubble necessary for locating individuals—these are the tasks to be accomplished there."

Andrey Lukyanovich, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus:

"Our crews are prepared, and the equipment is ready. Despite the geographical distance of about 9,000 kilometers, the flight time was 12 hours. The crews are ready to undertake this mission, and we already have experience in providing similar assistance. We have previously done so in Syria, the People's Republic of China, and Turkey."

Additionally, two more flights are planned to deliver a second group of rescuers, equipment, and humanitarian aid.