Moscow. September 12. INTERFAX - By mid-October, the return of troops to permanent deployment points after the strategic Russian-Belarusian exercises "West-2021", in which about 200 thousand servicemen participate, should be completed.
"The return of the military authorities and troops to the points of permanent deployment after participating in the exercise is planned until mid - October," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The exercises are held from September 10 to 16 at nine training grounds on the territory of Russia, in the Baltic Sea and at five training grounds in Belarus.
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in total, up to 200 thousand people, 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 take part in the Zapad-2021 exercises on the territory of Russia and Belarus.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that about 2.5 thousand Russian military personnel were sent to Belarus as part of the exercises.
In parallel with the Zapad-2021 exercises, the Russian Northern Fleet began major maneuvers in Artik. They involve about 50 ships, 120 aircraft and helicopters, about 8 thousand military personnel. Practical actions of the forces of the Northern Fleet will be held in the waters of the Barents, Kara, Chukchi and East Siberian Seas, the Laptev Sea, in the area of the Novosibirsk Islands, the archipelago of France-Joseph Land, the press service of the Northern Fleet reported.
