8,000 Russian soldiers participate in large-scale exercises

About 8,000 soldiers and 1,500 weapons units took part in large-scale artillery and missile field exercises, which kicked off on March 12 simultaneously at 19 firing ranges in Russia's Southern Federal District, North Caucasus and Crimea.

The press agency of the Southern Military Region, the unit conducting the exercise, said that the weapons participating in the exercise included 400 artillery pieces, 100 multiple rocket launchers, 300 grenade launchers and nearly 200 anti-tank guns.

Illustration photo (Source: AFP)

The soldiers will carry out artillery strikes on single and group targets from the "Hosta" multipurpose self-propelled gun, the "Tornado-G" 122 mm rocket system, which is superior in terms of ammunition power, long range, high accuracy and satellite guidance system.

During the exercise, which will last until April 10, the Southern Military Region will conduct tactical exercises, artillery firing and artillery control in parallel with technical, military-medical activities, as well as tasks of protection against radiation, chemical and biological weapons.

On the same day, the Western and Eastern Military Districts also conducted exercises to destroy ski spies and test combat capabilities in urban conditions.

The Russian drills come as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is holding joint exercises involving Bulgarian, Romanian and Turkish troops in the Black Sea near the Crimean peninsula.

Relations between Russia and the West have been strained since March last year after the crisis in Ukraine broke out and Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula.

NATO has suspended relations with Russia and increased its forces on its eastern flank, bordering Russia./.

According to VNA