International tank crews from 12 countries took part in the World Tank Biathlon Championship that was held on August 4-16 at the Alabino firing range outside Moscow. The crews competed in driving and shooting proficiency. Angola, Armenia, Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, and Venezuela took part in the competitions. Russia came in first after the final round of competitions, Armenia was second, and China third.

All international crews were provided with Russia’s T-72B tanks, or Slingshot, according to NATO classification, while China brought their own tanks for the championship.

Tank biathlon was invented by the Russian military and the first international competition was held in August 2013 in Alabino, a town to the southwest of Moscow, with participating crews from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia. According to the rules of tank biathlon, crews must navigate a distance of up to 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) negotiating various obstacles, crossing rivers and bridges and shooting at a set of targets. Tanks that miss a target get a penalty lap.