13/08/2010 10:53
Obama says US is ready to supply firefighting equipment to Russia
US President Barack Obama made a phone call to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev late on Thursday and said that the US is ready to supply firefighting equipment to Russia to fight against the continuing wildfires, Russian media reported citing the Kremlin press office.
"Obama reiterated the U.S. readiness to supply the necessary firefighting equipment and render expert assistance," reads the statement posted on Kremlin’s website.
“Obama offered his condolences over loss of life [in wildfires] and expressed his deep sympathy to fire-affected families,” said in the statement.
Wildfires are raging across Russia, damaging 17 states of Russian Federation, leaving more than 2,000 families homeless and killing at least 53 people. A state emergency was declared in Moscovskaya, Nijegorodskaya, Voronejskaya, Vladimirskaya, Ryazanskaya regions and in Republic of Mari-El and Republic of Mordovia.