Helicopters of the Leader company (MC Leader LLC) are involved in the redeployment of equipment and firefighting personnel to the hotspots.

'Currently, two Mi-8T helicopters have been contracted with the Avialesokhrana, and they have made more than 40 sorties in two weeks. The number of people and cargo on board depends on the remoteness of the fire and other factors affecting the safety of the flight. The aircraft can take up to 22 people on board, as well as up to 2 tons of payload,' said Maxim Sleptsov, Director of Leader Multifunctional Company.

According to the Ministry of Ecology, Nature Management and Forestry of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the region is experiencing the peak of the fire-hazardous season: the weather is hot, and dry thunderstorms causing forest fires are recorded in remote areas. The Ministry pointed out that this year, about RUB 2.5 bn have been allocated from the federal and republican budgets to fight wildfires. The additional resources allowed to increase the overall number of personnel and equipment, as well as to sign more contracts for aviation services.

Under the agreement with the Far East Development Corporation, Leader Multifunctional Company implemented a project to organise air cargo transportation to settlements of polar Yakutia due to having the status of the AZRF resident with the application of state support measures. The aircraft fleet consists of nine Mi-8T helicopters. The volume of declared investments in the project amounts to RUB 107 mn; more than 19 jobs are to be created.

AZRF resident opens an ophthalmology centre in Murmansk

A resident of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation, the Ophthalmology Centre of the Murmansk Region, is holding a walk-in day for patients with eye diseases who need specialised and high-tech assistance.