Military drills in Russia's Chelyabinsk region to be inspected by Defense Minister
The exercises at the military ranges will involve Air Force, and the Airborne Forces
CHEBARKUL RANGE, June 27. /ITAR-TASS/. General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, Russian Minister of Defence, has arrived in Chelyabinsk Region to inspect the course of exercises with field firing within the scope of a comprehensive check-up of the operational readiness of the troops of the Central Military District.
The exercises at the military ranges of Orenburg, Chelyabinsk, and Kemerovo Regions will involve forces and military units of the 2nd and 41st combined-service armies, the Air Force, and the Airborne Forces, an official at the Defence Ministry press-service and information department told Itar-Tass.
"At the Chebarkul military range, the troops will drill combat training missions to unblock a populated area captured by sabotage groups of a simulated enemy," the Ministry official specified.
During a practical phase, more than 20 combat vehicles and over 500 servicemen of the Ivanovo-based airborne division and an Ulyanovsk-based landing assault brigade of the Airborne Forces will be airlifted to the military range. "Seventeen aircraft of military transportation aviation will be involved in airlifting the personnel and hardware," the Ministry official said.
Besides, Mi-8 helicopters will airlift a tactical landing force comprising motorized rifle units of the 41st combined-service army. The units will drill evacuation of the wounded and the damaged armament and military hardware from the battlefield.
The Ministry official said that twelve Mi-24 helicopters, over 20 aircraft of assault and fighter aviation, as well as artillery, tanks, infantry combat vehicles, and landing assault ones will take part in the practical actions of troops.
A snap comprehensive check-up of the operational readiness of the Central Military District troops, the forces and units of the Air Force, Airborne Forces, and military transportation aviation has been in progress since June 21 in accordance with an order issued by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The check-up is involving 65,000 servicemen and about 5,500 units of armament and military hardware.