Avalanche kills 13 during mountaineering exercise involving Russian special forces

Source: Kommersant

An avalanche in the Bezengi Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria struck a team drawn from several special units within Russia’s security agencies on September 6, several sources told the Russian business daily Kommersant.

According to the newspaper’s sources, the team had come for training and consisted mostly of personnel from multiple Russian National Guard units. The National Guard previously said that its annual training program includes theoretical and practical instruction in mountaineering, rock climbing, navigation, equipment use, and safe climbing techniques.

The Telegram channels Baza and Shot said that 13 people were killed in the avalanche, 12 of them service members with the Vityaz Special Purpose Center, a special forces unit of the Russian National Guard. According to Baza and Shot, the Vityaz servicemen were training with Albert Izotov, an instructor from St. Petersburg. Alexander Yakovenko, head of the Russian Mountaineering Federation’s mountaineering committee, confirmed to reporters that Izotov was among those killed.

The Russian National Guard said reports of deaths among Vityaz servicemen “published earlier by certain sources” were untrue. However, the agency said that some of the climbers killed in the avalanche were National Guard personnel.

A group of 33 climbers was caught in an avalanche in the Bezengi Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria on Sunday evening, September 6. According to Kommersant, 13 people, including an instructor, were found dead, five remained missing, and 10 required medical attention.

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Avalanche kills 13 during mountaineering exercise involving Russian special forces

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Avalanche kills 13 during mountaineering exercise involving Russian special forces

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