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Russian, Belarusian and Serbian troops destroy simulated enemy in south Russia drills

Serbian airborne troops jumped from Russia's Il-76 aircraft for the first time ever

NOVOROSSIISK, September 3. /TASS/. Over 700 Russian, Belarusian and Serbian paratroops parachuted into a training area near the city of Novorossiisk and destroyed the simulated enemy in the Slavic Brotherhood exercise, the exercise director, Col. Roman Breus, told journalists on Thursday.

The Slavic Brotherhood international exercise of Russian, Belarusian and Serbian paratroops is taking place at the Rayevsky training area near Novorossiisk from September 2 to 5.

"Over 700 personnel and nine BMD-2 vehicles were airdropped. The troops secured an installation and attacked in various directions. The commanders of each unit chose a course of action based on the task assigned to him the day before, and their personnel have accomplished their mission today. The notional enemy at the landing zone was defeated, and our units seized their designated objectives," Breus said.

He added that the troops jumped from an altitude of 800 meters, with around 60 Serbian and about 70 Belarusian servicemen landing at the training area in addition to 570 Russian paratroopers. Serbian airborne troops jumped from Russian Il-76s for the first time during Slavic Brotherhood, Zoran Velickovic, commander of the Serbian Special Forces brigade, earlier said.

"The Russian forces have top-notch equipment. For instance, we [Serbs] do not have aircraft like the Il-76; our paratroops have parachuted from this plane for the first time," Velickovic said.

According to Velickovic, the Slavic Brotherhood exercise has been organized well, and the Serbian, Belarusian and Russian troops have proved to be true professionals who are fit to operate under any conditions.