MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. Teams from 19 countries will take part in the International Army Games this year, while 17 countries, including the United States and some NATO members, refused to participate, according to the event’s informational brochure.

Azerbaijan, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, Greece, Egypt, Zimbabwe, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, China, Kuwait, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Serbia and Tajikistan will take part in the games.

Argentina, Brazil, the Great Britain, Italia, South Korea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Slovakia, the United States, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Finland, France, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan refused to take part.

Over 3,000 troops to participate in International Army Games

 The head of the Russian Armed Forces’ training department said on Thursday that over 3,000 servicemen from 19 countries would take part in the games.

"We invited teams from 47 countries and 19 of them agreed to participate," said Lt.-Gen. Ivan Buvaltsev. "As always we have many applications for the tank biathlon competition. Sixteen teams are participating this year. More than 3,000 solders will take part in the competitions. Kazakhstan has 21 teams, Venezuela has nine, China 22, Egypt six and Iran seven."

The judgment will be as fair as possible, he assured.

The International Army Games-2016 will be held from July 30 to August 13. The program includes 23 international competitions will be held at training ranges in Russian military districts. For the first time artillery detachments will compete on a training range in Kazakhstan.