The head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, Sergey Shoigu, has been inspecting the work of fire and rescue crews in Russia's Nizhniy Novgorod region.
Mr Shoigu visited a local fire department, where the only centre for emergency medicine in the area is stationed. He examined equipment and spoke with firefighters. Mr Shoigu opened a rescue training academy, which will prepare firefighters, mountain climbers, and divers.