Russian military begins another exercise in Tajikistan, involving about 1,000 troops, amid Afghan events
YEKATERINBURG. Aug 17 (Interfax) - The Russian military has have begun another exercise in Tajikistan amid the developments in Afghanistan; the exercise involves about 1,000 troops, the Central Military District's press service said on Tuesday.
"About 1,000 Russian troops from the 201st military base stationed in Tajikistan have been deployed to the Lyaur and Sambuli ranges to master their combat skills," the press service said.
"Artillery men, military engineers and air defense, electronic countermeasures, and radiation, chemical and biological protection specialists will be accomplishing combat training missions over the next month," the press service said.
Artillery men will perform over 20 live launches of Grad rockets and shells of Gvozdika and Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems during the exercise, the press service said. Meanwhile, mortar batteries will accomplish combat training missions to destroy a mock enemy in the highlands, it said.
According to the Central Military District, an S-300PS air defense missile battalion, acting together with Verba and Igla MANPADS, will deter airstrikes of a mock enemy at the facilities of the military base in Tajikistan.
"ECM units will train the countering of unmanned aerial vehicles and communication systems. Engineering and sapper units will go on engineering reconnoitering on the routes of motorized rifle and tank formations and will build fortifications. Radiation, chemical and biological protection specialists will accomplish missions to protect troops from radiation, chemical and biological contamination of the terrain by the mock enemy," the press service said.
Earlier this month, Russia held two exercises near the Afghan border amid the growing tensions in Afghanistan, one was held together with Uzbekistan, and the other together with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The exercises involved several thousands of troops, as well as aircraft, artillery systems and armored vehicles. Russia deployed four Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers to the exercise in Uzbekistan and Sukhoi Su-25 attack planes stationed at the Russian airbase in Kant, Kyrgyzstan, to the exercise in Tajikistan.