Estonian deminers find over 700 explosives in Latvia
Estonian bomb disposal experts found 728 explosive devices during a two-week international training exercise in Latvia.
The eight-member team searched an area of around 9,000 square meters in Cekule, close to Riga, where ammunition depots were formally located.
"Rescue Board bomb disposal experts have participated in this joint exercise since 2017, contributing to the safety of our southern neighbors," said Vladimir Zabellevitš, chief deminer of the Northern Bomb Group and team leader, in a press release.
"These exercises provide an opportunity to practice search operations in various environments and cooperation formats, allowing us to apply the knowledge gained to search operations in Estonia. There is always something to learn, and international cooperation is crucial for supporting others and sharing experiences and knowledge."
Approximately 1,600 explosive devices were found during the exercise.
Teams from Latvia, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France also participated.
The Cekule region is a hotspot for explosives as ammunition warehouses have been built there since 1920. First by the Latvian military and then by the German and Soviet forces during subsequent occupations.
Estonia also has a lot of war-time explosive devices on its territory. Demining teams defuse more than 5,000 every year.
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Editor: Helen Wright
