MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/: Tank crews of Russia’s 201st military base eliminated a notional enemy during drills in the mountains of Tajikistan, the press office of the Central Military District reported on Thursday.
"During the drills, the troops performed a 40-km march from their permanent base to the area of the Lyaur mountainous training range. The crews acted within their units to practice the tasks of positional defense, an offensive from the depth and organizing a tank ambush," the press office said in a statement.
While practicing tactical measures, the troops exercised tank duels when one tank stayed in an ambush while the other acted at a distance of about 2,000 meters, stealthily changing its fire positions, the statement says.
"In their training duels, the tank crews were honing the skills of firing against immobile and moving targets and determining the most effective fire positions. The tank crews also acted within their units to practice procedures within the required time limits for speedy driving on the mountainous armor-training ground and for accuracy firing from 120mm 2A46 guns," the press office stated.
The one-day exercise took place on February 20 and involved about 500 personnel and more than 50 items of military hardware, the statement informs.
The 201st military base stationed in Tajikistan is Russia’s largest military facility outside its borders. The military base is located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar. The military base’s armament includes T-72 tanks, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, Grad multiple launch rocket systems, Gvozdika and Akatsiya artillery systems.
Under an agreement signed in October 2012, Russia’s military base in Tajikistan will remain until 2042.
