This impressive footage shows emergency crews carrying out blasting operations on the frozen surface of one of the world’s longest rivers.

The operation is meant to break up ice jams to alleviate the risk of flooding in the region of Amur, south-eastern Russia.

Specialists with the Amur Centre for Civil Protection and Safety performed the organised blasts on the Amur river, near the village of Ushakovo .

They used 30 charges with a total mass of 600 lbs, placing them in specially prepared holes along the riverbed, covering a work line of 1,000 feet.

The location was chosen with safety in mind, ensuring a minimum distance of 0.6 miles from the nearest settlement.

Similar operations are planned in the Magdagachinsky, Shimanovsky, and Skovorodinsky Districts, as well as near the village of Ivanovka on the Urkan River in the Zeya District.