Moscow. September 9. INTERFAX - The joint strategic exercise "West-2021", which started on Thursday, is of a defensive nature, the Russian Defense Ministry says.
"The opening ceremony of the joint strategic exercise of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus" West-2021 "was held at the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod Region," the Russian military department reported.
State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Nikolai Pankov stressed that the Zapad-2021 exercise "is purely defensive in nature", it is " aimed at training troops to conduct military operations in modern conditions and increasing the operational compatibility of the military command bodies of the armed forces of allies and friendly states."
"An event of this scale is unique in many ways. Its scope, the composition of the participating states, the number of personnel and equipment involved indicate the increased importance of joint training of our armed forces, " Pankov said, whose words were quoted by the Russian Defense Ministry.
"The exercises as part of the coalition of states help to develop a common understanding in the training of troops, strengthen friendship and erase language barriers between our servicemen, form new joint traditions of combat brotherhood and military camaraderie," he said.
Practical actions within the framework of the exercises will be held in the period from 10 to 16 September 2021 at nine training grounds located on the territory of the Russian Federation, in the Baltic Sea, as well as at five training grounds of the armed forces of Belarus.
In total, up to 200 thousand personnel, about 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 760 units of military equipment, including 290 tanks, 240 guns, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, as well as up to 15 ships will participate in the Zapad-2021 exercise on the territory of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
