A batch of URAL NEXT fire trucks from Russia arrived at the port of Havana on Friday.
The donation of URAL NEXT vehicles comes from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation through the International Civil Protection Organization (OIPC), of which Cuba has been a member since 2014.
According to the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) on its website, the new fire-fighting vehicles have excellent tactical and technical features for the protection of refineries, airports, and other facilities, as they are equipped with tanks for water and foam.
"The water tanks have a capacity of 10 tons of water, with a high pumping capability. Additionally, one of the main features of the new trucks is their increased resistance to corrosion," the notice specifies.
The trucks will be allocated to the Cuban Fire Department, but first, the firefighters will undergo specialized training by Russian personnel at the "Martyrs of Calle Patria" Specialized Teaching Institution.
In October, Russia announced that it would allocate up to 410.8 million rubles (approximately four million dollars) to the Russian-Cuban Regional Rescue and Firefighting Training Center located in Havana.
The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, María Zajárova, announced that her government was acquiring machinery and specialized equipment as part of its humanitarian support commitment to Cuba.
In May, Russian media revealed that this year firefighting equipment would arrive in the Caribbean nation from Russia, as part of the collaboration between the two countries in this area.
The information specified that the Kremlin would re-equip the Russian-Cuban Regional Rescue and Firefighting Training Center with foam fire-fighting vehicles and other aircraft fire-fighting vehicles, tanker trucks, as well as a wide range of specialized equipment.
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