Russia deploys S-300 missile systems to Afghanistan border
Russia continues to strengthen its troops near Afghanistan border, despite the assurances of the Russian Foreign Ministry that it is possible to negotiate with the Taliban and claims of the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu that the Taliban promised not to cross the border.
On Tuesday, the Russian military in Tajikistan began a new series of exercises, Interfax reports with reference to the press service of the Central Military District.
About a thousand soldiers from the 201st military base will take part in the the drills, which will be held at the Lyaur and Sambuli training sites. Crews of S-300PS anti-aircraft missile systems together with the units equipped with Verba and Igla portable anti-aircraft systems, will "repel enemy attacks on air targets”.
20 live firing exercises from Grad multiple launch rocket systems, Gvozdika and Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers are planned, the Central Military District reported. Military personnel will work out combat training tasks as part of artillery batteries to destroy the enemy in the mountainous terrain.
The exercises will last a month and will include drills of artillery units, military engineers, specialists in air defense, electronic warfare, radiation, chemical and biological protection.
Earlier in August, amid escalating situation in Afghanistan, Russia held two exercises near the Afghan border, one together with Uzbekistan, the other together with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Several thousand troops, aircraft, artillery and armored vehicles, as well as four Tu-22M3 long-range bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons took part in the exercises.