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Large-scale military drills with live-firing, paratroops’ landing kick off in south Russia

The drills involve about 500 troops and 50 pieces of combat hardware, including two Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name: Hip) helicopters

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Military drills with live-firing have kicked off at the Adanak shooting range in the North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, the press office of the Southern Military District reported on Wednesday.

The drills involve about 500 troops and 50 pieces of combat hardware, including two Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name: Hip) helicopters.

"During the drills, the marine infantry will practice an offensive operation and the defense of positions with the landing of air assault troops upon a helicopter’s descent and hovering," the press office said.

According to the design of the military drills, a marine infantry company of the Caspian Flotilla is holding the defense positions with the support of a self-propelled artillery battery on the selected terrain, which is being attacked by several groups of an air assault company riding armored personnel carriers.

In addition, over 1,000 motor rifle troops and about 300 pieces of combat hardware will practice repelling a simulated enemy attack in North Ossetia during the drills.

Military drills in Russia

The number of military drills in the Russian Army has increased in recent years. Early in 2015, the Russian land troops reported holding over 1,500 military exercises in 2014.

Also, over 900 drills with the participation of aviation alone have already been held this year. Besides, during the winter season, the Russian army held 886 various drills from the westernmost Kaliningrad Region to the Kuril Islands in the Far East and from the Arctic to Russia’s southern borders. The drills involve all the branches of the armed forces from all of the Russian military districts.

Some military drills were international exercises and the training of Russian troops was held both on the ground and in the World Ocean.