MOSCOW, August 01. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Airborne Troops (VDV) plan to expand the zones of their presence outside the country, VDV Commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov said on Friday.

“We plan to further build up our combat potential and zones of our troops’ presence outside the country,” he told reporters.

Shamanov added that under the state defense order, VDV will receive before 2025 more than 1,500 new BMD-4M airborne fighting vehicles and more than 2,500 armoured personnel carriers of different versions. “All this will in full measure ensure VDV technical re-equipment and by the end of 2025 will enable the troops to operate far outside Russia,” he said.

Shamanov said on TV on Thursday that in 2015 the Airborne Troops would receive 64 BMD-4M vehicles and more than 20 Rakushka armoured personnel carriers. Simultaneously it is planned to complete modernisation of the Sprut SP gun.

Shamanov also said it was planned to create attack drones, which will support reconnaissance units deep in enemy territory.

He said the Airborne Troops were cooperating closely with a whole range of industries of the Russian defense industry and several initiative groups to create attack drones that would support the newly formed units (special task forces and reconnaissance battalions).

Such drones will allow VDV reconnaissance units to conduct operations deep in enemy territory, “that is, we will create the continued presence zone, thus creating intolerable conditions for the enemy,” Shamanov said.

According to him, first attack drones may be delivered to the Airborne Troops in 2015.