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Military drills

Military servicemen from seven countries arrive in Russia for Zapad-2021 drills

The Russian Aerospace Forces’ military cargo planes delivered about 500 troops from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to a training camp in the Western Military District

MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. Military servicemen from seven countries have arrived in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region to participate in the Zapad-2021 (or West-2021), the Western Military District said in a statement.

"The Russian Aerospace Forces’ military cargo planes delivered about 500 troops from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to a training camp in the Western Military District. The troops are now receiving weapons and military and special equipment and making preparations for joint drills," the statement reads.

According to the document, over the next five days, the troops will practice the use of weapons and military hardware, including T-72B3 tanks, BMP-2 armored carriers, Ak-74M rifles, RPG-7B grenade launchers and PKM machine guns.

The Zapad-2021 joint strategic drills will run at practice ranges in Belarus and Russia on September 10-16. The plan of the drills is based on a possible scenario of military and political tensions against a hypothetical country. The drills will involve about 200,000 people, over 80 planes and helicopters, and up to 760 pieces of military equipment. Russia and Belarus have repeatedly stated that the upcoming maneuvers are defensive and aren’t aimed against any country.

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