MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. The first joint drills have been held at a training range in Laos in the framework of the Russian-Lao military exercise Laros 2019, the press service of Russia's Eastern Military District said on Thursday.

"Tank units of the Eastern Military District and Lao Armed Forces have studied the routes of movement of tactical groups, main features of the terrain, as well as practiced organizing and maintaining communication," the press service reported.

The active phase of the military drills is due on December 16, when a joint group of forces will practice destroying an illegal armed unit.

The first ever Russian-Lao joint military drills, Laros 2019 run on December 10-19. Over 500 servicemen from Russia and Laos will take part in the military exercise.