ST. PETERSBURG, April 17. /TASS/. A rocket artillery brigade in Russia’s Western Military District has received seven Smerch multiple launch rocket systems and another five multiple rocket launchers will arrive in late April, the district’s press office reported on Monday.

"Seven Smerch multiple rocket launchers have arrived for the Western Military District’s rocket artillery brigade stationed in the Tver Region as part of the troops’ planned rearmament with modern weapon systems and equipment. Late this month, the arrival of another five combat vehicles is expected," the district’s press office said.

The brigade’s personnel have started to learn to operate the new multiple rocket launchers and the crews will hold living firings at practice ranges in the summer, the press office said.

The Smerch MLRS is designed to destroy any multiple targets, light-armored vehicles and armored materiel, artillery units, tactical missiles, command posts, communications centers and other hostile infrastructure. The multiple rocket system is capable of striking objectives at a distance of 20-70 km.