BELGRADE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A Russian medical expert team landed here on Friday with medical aid to help Serbia fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
An airplane of the Russian Federation landed at the military airport in Belgrade, bringing ventilators and masks to Serbia, along with eight specialist doctors, virologists and epidemiologists.
The Russian plane was greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Milan Mojsilovic, and Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko.
"This is the first out of 11 airplanes that Russia sends to Serbia. A total of 87 Russian specialists will come to help colleagues in Serbia," the Serbian government stated in a press release.
Four more Russian planes will land during the day, while another six are scheduled for Saturday, the release read.
Russia also provided 16 units of military equipment, as well as disinfectants and equipment for facilities and hospitals housing COVID-19 patients.
Brnabic thanked the Russian Federation and the experts who came to help Serbia.
"Thank you for having responded so quickly to our call and sent doctors of all profiles" as Serbia enters on Friday its fifth week of the epidemic, she said.
Vulin said the shipment is a result of the agreement between the presidents of the two countries.
Serbia confirmed on Friday 305 new cases of COVID-19 and 8 new deaths. Out of the total of 5,756 tested, 1,476 were diagnosed with the disease. Currently 874 people are hospitalized, while 81 are on life support. So far 39 people have died.
China was the first to send experts and medical aid to Serbia, followed by the European Union (EU) and some of its member countries with financial and other assistance.
Since mid-March, Serbia is in a state of emergency, with border crossings closed, and international passenger transport suspended along with inter-city transport.
