Russian rescuers to reach Haiti Friday.

SANTO DOMINGO, January 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian rescuers dispatched
to Haiti had to land in neighboring Dominican Republic on Thursday, which
would delay their arrival to the disaster area.

"The landing in Santo Domingo was an unpleasant option for our group,"
head of the rescue team Salavat Mingashev told reporters, adding the group
will most likely travel 280 kilometers to Port-au-Prince by car on Friday.
"That means we shall lose the night and another 6-8 hours for travel,
while every minute counts," he said.
Mingashev said two Russian rescue aircraft initially planned to land
in Port-au-Prince, however the local airport is overloaded with relief
planes. The third aircraft is to land in Santo Domingo shortly.
Two US and Canadian relief airlifters had also to land in Santo
Domingo.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry dispatched heavy rescue equipment and
a mobile hospital to Haiti, as well as a helicopter for aerial
surveillance and evacuation of the injured from hard-of-access areas.

.G20 ready to provide relief to Haiti.

MOSCOW, January 15 (Itar-Tass) -- G20 countries, including Russia,
issued a special statement to confirm their readiness to provide economic
and material aid to Haiti disaster quake victims.
"Meeting the urgent call of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to the
international community to provide immediate assistance, we, the Group of
Twenty, confirm our readiness and resolve to dispatch urgent economic and
material aid to satisfy priority needs of Haiti population in the
difficult moment," said the statement posted on the Kremlin website on
Thursday.
"We shall attentively follow the process of providing relief and
restoration in the country," it added.
The G20 expressed condolences to Haiti people who were hit by a
devastating earthquake on January 12. The Red Cross of Haiti said the
death toll is close to 50 thousand at present, but Haiti government
representatives estimated it may rise to half a million people.

.Haiti-bound Russian mobile hospital lands in Santo Domingo.

SANTO DOMINGO, January 15 (Itar-Tass) -- A third Russian rescue
aircraft carrying a mobile hospital and 50 doctors for quake devastated
Haiti landed in neighboring Dominican Republic on Thursday.
The fourth Il-76 airlifter with a helicopter for aerial surveillance
and evacuation of the injured from hard-of-access areas is expected to
arrive shortly.
The first two planes brought 22 rescuers and sniff dogs, as well as
the necessary search and rescue equipment.
"Our dogs participated in numerous rescue operations around the globe
and saved many lives," chief rescuer Andrei Sorokin said.
However, the Russian team will have to stay overnight in Santo Domingo
and will travel by car 260 kilometers to Port-au-Prince early on Friday.
"The landing in Santo Domingo was an unpleasant option for our
group," head of the rescue team Salavat Mingashev said. "That means we
shall lose the night and another 6-8 hours for travel, while every minute
counts," he said.
Mingashev said Russian rescue aircraft initially planned to land in
Port-au-Prince, however the local airport is overloaded with relief planes.

.ROCOR urges help to Haitian Orthodox community.

NEW YORK, January 15 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Orthodox Church
Outside Russia (ROCOR) urged donations from parishes to help 2,000-member
strong Orthodox Church community in quake devastated Haiti to survive.
"Life in Haiti is very difficult under normal circumstances. Now it is
on the brink of becoming unbearable. Folks there need our help," ROCOR
said on its website on Thursday.
"Now the need in Haiti is greater than ever and now may be the time to
speak to your parish councils to pledge any monthly amount you can muster
to help our poor brothers and sisters in Haiti," the Church said.
"Our Haitian Orthodox community needs only 2000 (dollars) per month to
survive," it said and called on brothers and sisters in Christ to urgently
help those suffering by donating to the Fund for Assistance.

.Crashed Su-27 fighter found in Far East.

KHABAROVSK, January 15 (Itar-Tass) -- The Su-27 fighter that
disappeared from radar screens in the Far East on Thursday was found
crashed 20 kilometers away from Komsomolsk-on-Amur on Friday, the Far
Eastern Air Force said adding the pilot has not been found so far.
The Su-27 fighter disappeared from radar screens during a scheduled
flight on Thursday morning.
The Air Force said the pilot was experienced and well-trained, but did
not identify him.
Spokesman for the Investigations Committee under the Prosecutor
General's Office (SKP) Vladimir Markin told reporters that the SKP
department of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur garrison had begun a
pre-investigation check.
Su-27 is a multi-purpose highly maneuverable all-weather fighter.
-0-nec