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Putin attends final phase of large-scale exercises of Central and Eastern Military Districts

The exercise involved over three thousand troops, the Su-25, MiG-24 planes, unmanned aerial vehicles, more than 200 tanks and other armoured vehicles

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

TSUGOL RANGE (Chita Region), July 17 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin on Wednesday was present at the Tsugol range (Chita Region) at the stage of an offensive operation drill by the troops of military units of the Central and Eastern Military Districts.

The exercise involved over three thousand troops, the Su-25, MiG-24 planes, unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, more than 200 tanks and other armoured vehicles were engaged.

Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov was giving comments on drill to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. He reported that more than 100 different exercises were preliminarily conducted at various ranges of the Eastern Military District.

Before the final stage of the exercise, President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in a helicopter flew over the range that is located 250 kilometres from Chita.

During the exercises an airborne assault was scheduled, but in the conditions of strong winds the Supreme Commander cancelled the manoeuvre, telling the Chief of the General Staff: “There is no need to risk,” and the Chief of the General Staff cancelled the manoeuvre.

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