Russian military scouts triumph in team shooting exercise at Army Games

NOVOSIBIRSK, August 7. /TASS/. The Russian reconnaissance squad has emerged as the leader in the team shooting exercise at the Army Scout Masters competition of the 2017 International Army Games, the press office of Russia’s Defense Ministry told TASS on Monday.

The Russians, who earlier showed the best result in the individual shooting exercise, have thus taken the lead at the new stage of the competition, the press office said.

"Today, the fourth stage of the contest - Shooting - has come to an end for army scouts from Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and Russia. During the contest, scout units performed individual and combat firing exercises and competed for complying with the standards of crossing mine-explosive and natural obstacles, and also throwing a knife, an infantry shovel and a training hand grenade for accuracy and the best time," the press office said.

During individual combat firings, each scout shoots at targets, using his weapons, be it a sniper rifle, an assault rifle, a machinegun or an anti-tank grenade launcher. During team firings, the scouts must preliminarily cross a terrain section with imitated mines. Those who hit mines come out of action and their teammates perform firings without them. Therefore, the better the scouts pass through the minefield, the easier it will be for them at the firing line.

Tomorrow, army scouts will compete in the contest’s last stage: reconnaissance squads must go to the designated assembly point after accomplishing a mission. This stage envisages demolishing a notional enemy’s objective, crossing a water obstacle, including afloat driving, and performing a quick march.

The contest involves teams from seven countries. The Russian army scouts are in the lead after the contest’s four stages, followed by the teams from China and Uzbekistan.

The International Army Games are being held this year at 22 practice ranges of Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China on July 29 - August 12. Teams from 28 countries are taking part in the Army Games.