MOSCOW, March 12. /ITAR-TASS/. More than 300 paratroopers from Ivanovo airborne battalion will land during military exercises in the Arctic Region, official of the press service and information department of the Russian Defense Ministry Lieutenant Colonel for Airborne Troops Yevgeny Meshkov told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
“For the first time in the last 20 years, around 3,500 servicemen of an airborne formation will land at military exercises. More than 300 of them will land in Arctic latitudes. The airborne battalion has already boarded on military transport airplanes Ilyushin Il-76 at airfield Ivanovo-Severny for airlifting to airfield Tiksi. Meanwhile, paratroopers have loaded required material and equipment. The load weighs more than 30 tonnes,” Meshkov said.
Outfits of paratroopers permit them to fulfill tasks not only in winter conditions of the Polar Region, but also in Arctic latitudes, the official of the Airborne Troops said. According to a scenario of the drills, military formations will air land at airfield Tiksi to use it as a permanent airfield for further landing in designated areas.
“Transfer of such a large number of servicemen of airborne detachments from central Russia to the Polar Region with air landing is made for the first time. The division command staff exercises will last until March 14,” Meshkov added.
Around 4,000 paratroopers, 36 aircraft of military transport and army aviation, around 500 pieces of military hardware and weapons (airborne assault vehicles, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled gun systems, heavy-duty cross-country vehicles, snow mobiles and quadricycles) will be used in the military exercises. Commander of Airborne Troops Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov supervises the military drills.