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Russian troops fire T-72 tank guns in Tajikistan drills

Overall, the drills involve about 1,000 personnel and over 200 armaments and items of military hardware

MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Armored units of Russia’s 201st military base started tactical drills at the Lyaur practice range in Tajikistan, the press office of the Central Military District reported on Tuesday.

"The crews of T-72 tanks performed a march to the area of the drills and started fortifying firing positions, command and observation posts for holding maneuverable defense against a notional enemy’s mechanized units that have overcome mountainous terrain," the press office said in a statement.

Overall, the drills involve about 1,000 personnel and over 200 armaments and items of military hardware, the statement reads.

During the drills, the tank crews supported by artillery will practice maneuvers of counter-offensive, employing motorized infantry units and unmanned aerial vehicles and employing such techniques as tank ambushes, a maneuver into the enemy’s flank and rear and carrying out raids, the press office specified.

"The drills will end on September 27 with check firing of organic shells in the daytime and at night," the press office reported.

The 201st military base stationed in Tajikistan is Russia’s largest military facility outside its borders. The military base is located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar. The military base’s armament includes T-72 tanks, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, Grad multiple launch rocket systems and Gvozdika and Akatsiya artillery systems.