DEIR EZ-ZOR (Sputnik) — Russian military road service specialists have built a bridge across the Euphrates river a few kilometers from Deir ez-Zor in northeastern Syria to transport military hardware and personnel to the eastern bank, Vladimir Burovtsev, the chief of the road service at the Russian Defense Ministry, said Tuesday.
"We used unmanned aerial vehicles. During the installation work, explosive substances and grenades were falling on us from above. Nevertheless, we had no losses — no wounded, no victims. Everything was done on time," Burovtsev told reporters.
Meanwhile, the total length of the crossing is nearly 700 feet, while the capacity is 8,000 vehicles per day. The bridge is capable of bearing the weight of heavy military hardware such as tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and multiple rocket launchers.
Daesh terrorists gained control over Deir ez-Zor's gas and oil fields in April 2014. Earlier in September, Syrian government troops supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces lifted the siege around Deir ez-Zor that had been maintained for long by Daesh. The Syrian forces' operation on liberating the occupied parts of the city from the militants is currently underway.
