A NATO disaster response agency has organised an international disaster exercise in Finland in which more than a thousand troops from twenty-five countries, including rescue services from Russia, are taking part.

The 5-day exercise is testing rescue squads' responses to man-made and natural disasters.

The teams are also using specialist equipment to deal with nuclear, biological and chemical accidents.

130 civilian volunteers have been drafted in to act as victims of various disasters.

“In this scenario, the number of casualties is high. We will have to smooth out the interaction between rescue forces when tackling accidents in tunnels. We will also work at a power supply station, sewage facilities, an old fire station and a military base where, according to the scenario, a traffic accident has occurred involving hazardous substances,” told Aleksandr Sorokin of Russian Emergencies Ministry.