Claims extracted
13
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
8%
1 of 13 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Centre
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
60/100
The Straits Times's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
World
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Serbia turns to Russia to help fight wildfires
BELGRADE, Aug 20 - Serbia has turned to Russia for help in fighting wildfires because of a lack of available planes from the European Union, its interior ministry said.
asserted
ministry → turn → Union
A Russian Emergencies Ministry IL-76P firefighting plane landed in the southern city of Nis on Wednesday evening and was deployed on Thursday to tackle a wildfire in the Deliblatska Pescara natural protected reserve that has raged for weeks.
Serbia is not a member of the EU but has access to emergency EU help under the bloc's Civil Protection Mechanism.
asserted
Serbia → land → Mechanism
This summer, Belgrade sent a firefighting helicopter and emergency response team to help Spain combat wildfires under that mechanism, but wildfires across Europe have sapped EU resources.
asserted
wildfires → send → resources
"Considering that there are no firefighting aircraft of this capacity available within the EU...the arriving Russian aircraft will significantly strengthen our capacities in fighting the fires," Luka Causic, head of the Interior Ministry’s Department for Emergency Situations, said late on Wednesday.
asserted
Causic → consider → Wednesday
The EU did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
asserted
EU → respond → comment
Russian planes are forbidden from flying over European airspace under sanctions imposed over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but humanitarian aid is exempt.
asserted
aid → forbid → Ukraine
On its way to Serbia, the Russian plane crossed the airspace of EU and NATO member Bulgaria following a request from Belgrade, the BTA news agency reported, citing a statement by Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport and Communications.
asserted
agency → cross → Transport
The plane's arrival is another sign of Serbia's balancing act between Russia, with which it has historical ties, and the EU, which it hopes to join.
asserted
it → balance → which
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Serbia this month, but Belgrade has not joined sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.
asserted
Belgrade → visit → Ukraine
"We came here to work.
asserted
We → come → ?
It is not the first time; we feel like at home here," pilot Andrei Vidlov told state RTS news on Wednesday after he landed the plane.
asserted
he → feel → plane
Serbian media said the aircraft was sent on instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin, following a request for assistance by Serbia.
asserted
aircraft → say → Serbia
Reuters could not immediately confirm this.
uncertain
Reuters → confirm → this