MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry’s planes and helicopters have extinguished wildfires in Siberia raging across 690,000 hectares since the beginning of the effort, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Since the operation started, the Defense Ministry’s air task force has poured 5,490 tonnes of water on the blazing forest. The Il-76 planes and Mi-8 helicopters carried out 90 and 143 flights, respectively, to extinguish fires. "The Defense Ministry’s aviation has put out fires on the total area of 690,000 hectares," the ministry said.

On Sunday, the Il-76 aircraft of the Defense Ministry’s military and transport aviation performed 20 flights and poured 840 tonnes of water on the forest affected by fire. Mi-8 helicopters carried out 27 flights, pouring 420 tonnes of water. A total of 170,000 hectares of burning forest were put out on Sunday.