YEKATERINBURG, July 30. /TASS/. Peacekeepers and commandos of Russia’s Central Military District have redeployed to Uzbekistan for joint drills on the border with Afghanistan that will focus on the tasks of protecting the state’s territorial integrity, the District’s press office reported on Friday.
"The units of a peacekeeping formation and a special operations brigade of the Central Military District have completed their redeployment to the Termez training ground for joint drills with the armed forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan," the press office said in a statement.
"In the course of joint practical measures, the troops will accomplish the combat training tasks of ensuring the state’s territorial integrity," the statement says.
The Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment have been airlifted by Il-76 military transport aircraft from the Samara Region in the Volga area, the press office specified.
About 1,500 troops from Russia and Uzbekistan will participate in the joint drills in the area bordering on Afghanistan on July 30 August 10, using military hardware and aircraft, the statement says.
Clashes between the Afghan government troops and the Taliban radical militant group (outlawed in Russia) intensified after US President Joe Biden announced a decision on April 14 to wrap up the operation in Afghanistan that had been the longest overseas military campaign in the US history.
As of July 13, the United States pulled out more than 95% of its troops from Afghanistan. Afghan officials have repeatedly stated that the Taliban is intensifying its offensive in the country.