15 Jun 2019 19:34

Some 200 Pskov paratroopers taking part in int'l exercise Slavic Brotherhood 2019 in Serbia

MOSCOW. June 15 (Interfax) - Troops from a Pskov-based air assault division travelled to Serbia to take part in a joint exercise, Slavic Brotherhood 2019, with Belarus and Serbia, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"During the exercise the three countries' airborne troops will practice special preparations and application of a coalition tactical group in executing counterterrorist tasks," the ministry said in a statement obtained by Interfax.

The Russian personnel and military equipment boarded Aerospace Forces' military aircraft at Kresty airfield near Pskov on Thursday. The exercise involves over 50 units of wheeled and continuous tracked vehicles and Ilyushin Il-76MD aircraft, the ministry said.

The two-week exercise, which began on June 14, involves about 600 troops: about 200 from Russia, about 300 from Serbia, and up to 60 troops from Belarus.