A Russian engineering battalion is returning home after a two-month friendly mission to Beirut. An Il-760 plane will airlift the first group of Russian engineers from the Rafik Hariri international airport to the Chkalov airfield near Moscow .

A bridge on the Beirut-Saida highway reopened to traffic near Darmur, 18 kilometres away from Beirut, on Wednesday, after being restored by Russian military engineers. The bridge-opening was attended by representatives of the Lebanese government, army command, the Russian ambassador to Lebanon Sergei Bukin, Archimandrite Alexander Yelissov, who represents the Russian Orthodox Church in the Middle East, a large group of graduates from Russian universities and institutions of high learning.

“We have fulfilled all the tasks set by the Russian leadership and the Russian army command to render assistance to the Lebanese people in the restoration of destroyed transport infrastructure,” General Ivan Tsygankov, the head of the operations group in Lebanon and the rear deputy service chief, told the rally. He noted that the troops had handed over part of the engineering equipment and property of the Russian military contingent to Lebanon’s armed forces on a free of charge basis.

More than 100 Lebanese officers and soldiers were trained to handle the Russian hardware and equipment.

For his part, Brigadier General George Masaad, the deputy chief of staff of the Lebanese armed forces, praised the Russian servicemen for their humanitarian mission.

”It’s not that vital economic facilities have been re-built. Bridges have been spanned to friendship and partnership between the armed forces of the two countries,” the general went on to say.

The Mayor of Darmur George Gaffar thanked the Russian servicemen and officers on behalf of ordinary people.

“The Lebanese people will always remember how noble, hard-working and good-natured the Russian soldiers are,” Mr. Gaffar said in conclusion.

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