DUSHANBE, April 3, 212, Asia-Plus  -- A Russian Emergencies Ministry’s transport plane IL-76 is shipping the first consignment of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan today afternoon, according to the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) under the Government of Tajikistan.     

A total cost of the aid is reportedly 106.3 million Russian rubles.

The source at a CES says the consignment (37.7 tons) that is being shipped today afternoon includes heating devices, mobile generators, tents, metallic tableware and tinned goods for a total amount of 21.3 million Russian rubles.

“The second consignment (37.7 tons) will arrive tomorrow and the third consignment (113.4 tons) for a total amount of 63.7 million Russian rubles will be shipped to Tajikistan on April 5,” the source added.

We will recall that Russia is providing urgent humanitarian aid to Tajikistan to help to help tackle the aftermath of a hard winter.

An official website of the Russian government said on March 30 that Dushanbe has requested help from Moscow.  Tajik President Emomali Rahmon reportedly had a telephone conversation with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last Friday.  A hard humanitarian situation that emerged in Tajikistan as a result of the unusually cold and long winter was the focus of the conversation.  “Emomali Rahmon has requested help from Russia,” the source said.

It is to be noted that according to some source, Tajikistan''s agrarian sector has reportedly suffered serious losses as a result of the hard winter.