Russia sends planes to fight wildfires in Turkey

Two Russian Be-200ChS amphibious planes have departed to Turkey to help fight forest fires in the country, the press service of the Russian emergencies ministry said.

"On instructions from the president of the Russian Federation and responding to a request from the Turkish side, two amphibious planes of the Russian emergencies ministry took off from Platov Airport in the city of Rostov-on-Don to the Turkish cities of Mugla and Izmir to fight major forest fires there," the ministry said.

The firefighting planes are equipped with water tanks, allowing them to carry up to 12 tons of water, and thermal equipment to detect wildfire hotspots.