MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/. Russia’s latest BMD-4M airborne assault vehicles, Rakushka armored personnel carriers and Sprut-SD howitzers will be involved for the first time in the Slavic Brotherhood-2018 international military exercises in June, the press office of the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"New items of military hardware - BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-MDM Rakushka airborne armored personnel carriers and 2S25 Sprut-SD howitzers operational in units of the Airborne Force will be involved for the first time in the Slavic Brotherhood -2018 Russian-Serbian-Belarusian tactical drills near Novorossiysk," the press office said.
During the drills, Russia will be represented by the reinforced battalion of the Kuban Cossack air assault regiment of the Airborne Force (700 paratroopers). Also, Russia’s forces in the drills will involve units of frontline and army aviation of the Air Force and Air Defense troops of the Southern Military District and Il-76MD military and transport planes of Russia’s Aerospace Force.
The drills will be held on June 18-28 at the Rayevsky practice range in the Krasnodar Region in south Russia. The maneuvers will be directed by Russia’s Airborne Force Deputy Commander Lieutenant-General Alexander Vyaznikov.