Military engineers have been conducting ice blasting operations this week on the Biya River in Russia's Soltonsky and Biysky districts this week.

Photos show the impressive blasts, as what the ice looks like afterwards.

Ice blasting is when explosives are used to break up ice in rivers to clear navigation systems and to avoid possible flooding due to ice jams. The practice is often done in the spring as snow melts and river ice starts to break up.

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The Russian Emergencies Ministry estimates that parts of the region in Siberia, such as the northern branches of the Biya and Katun rivers, may have accumulated three times the average amount of snow this year, and as the weather thaws, the nearby Biysky District is at risk of flooding. The ice blast operation is intended to mitigate that risk.

Click through the slideshow above to see photos of the explosions.

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