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Russia will use large landing force in military exercise

The command and staff exercise involving the Ivanovo paratroopers formation began on Tuesday, March 11
Military exercise in Ryazan airborne division in March 2014 ITAR-TASS/Alexander Ryumin
Military exercise in Ryazan airborne division in March 2014
© ITAR-TASS/Alexander Ryumin

MOSCOW, March 11. /ITAR-TASS/. More than 3,000 paratroopers will be air-dropped in a Russian military exercise for the first time in the past two decades, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The command and staff exercise involving the Ivanovo paratroopers formation began on Tuesday, March 11.

"Some 4,000 paratroopers, 36 military transport and army aviation planes will be involved in the drill," Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Evgeni Meshkov told Itar-Tass. "One of the key objectives of the exercise is to show how effective tactical landing force can be in different latitudes and conditions."

At present, the alerted airborne troops have advanced to the area of the exercise. The military headquarters have initiated troop control in a simulated anti-terrorist operation," the spokesman said.

The drill is led by commander of Russian paratroopers Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov. He ordered the servicemen to actively use modern automated means of control and communications in simulated combat.