ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 15. /TASS/. Troops of Russia’s Southern Military District have begun returning to their permanent bases after scheduled drills in Crimea, the District’s press office reported on Tuesday.

"The units of the Southern Military District that have completed accomplishing their tasks as part of scheduled tactical exercises at combined arms practice ranges on the Crimean Peninsula have begun returning to their permanent bases. The personnel of battalion tactical groups have conducted marches to the areas of railway stations where operations to load combat equipment on special platforms have been organized," the press office said in a statement.

The troops are now fastening heavy tracked armor, such as tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery guns. The special trains will deliver the military hardware to the regions where the troops are permanently stationed, in particular, in Dagestan and North Ossetia. Upon arrival at their permanent bases, the troops will carry out maintenance of their equipment, the press office specified.

The tactical drills ran at 15 combined arms practice ranges. They involved reinforced companies of battalion tactical groups.