Russian Il-76 completes wildfire firefighting mission in Serbia

A Russian Il-76 aircraft from the Ministry of Emergency Situations has returned to Moscow following a mission to combat wildfires in Serbia. The deployment was conducted at the request of the Serbian government and by order of President Vladimir Putin.

During the mission, the crew completed 65 flights and performed 130 water drops, discharging a total of more than 2,700 tons of water. The operations took place under extreme conditions, including temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, heavy smoke, and difficult terrain. Significant efforts were focused on the Deliblatska Peščara nature reserve, where fires burned over 3,500 hectares and threatened nearby settlements, as well as the Suva Planina and Kraljevo regions.

Crew commander Andrey Vislov emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort, noting that the success was a joint achievement between the Russian air crew and Serbian ground teams. This mission follows a history of Russian emergency assistance in Serbia, including previous wildfire support and humanitarian aid.