Yekaterinburg. February 14. INTERFAX - A Russian military base has begun exercises in Tajikistan involving combat helicopters and the S-300PS long-range air defense system, the Central Military District (CVO) said on Monday.
"A tactical flight exercise with the crews of Mi-8MTV5-1 transport and combat helicopters and Mi-24 strike aircraft of the 201st Russian military base has started in the mountains of Tajikistan. To support motorized rifle units, army aviation crews at the Sambuli training ground will carry out missile strikes against ground targets of a conditional enemy," the press service of the district reported.
According to the military, during the exercise, the pilots will also work out landing on unprepared sites, aerial reconnaissance tasks, aspects of evacuation and transportation of conditional victims, providing them with medical care and will perform flights at extremely low altitudes with a circumference of the terrain. In addition, they will take a survival course in the highlands.
"Against the background of a single plan, simultaneously with aviation, a tactical exercise will be conducted with the S-300PS anti-aircraft missile system, which is on experimental combat duty. The calculations will carry out the capture, tracking of targets, as well as repel the attack of the air attack of a conditional enemy, in the role of which the crews of the aviation group (201st base of the Russian Federation - IF) will act," the Central Military District added.
The 201st military base stationed in Tajikistan is Russia's largest military facility outside of its borders (part of the Central Military District). It is located in two cities - Dushanbe and Bokhtar. It consists of motorized rifle, tank, artillery, reconnaissance units, air defense units, RCB protection and communications.
Against the background of the Taliban movement coming to power in Afghanistan in 2021 (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation), the Russian military reported on strengthening the base in Tajikistan with new weapons. In particular, on December 6, 2021, the Russian military base in Tajikistan received 30 upgraded T-72B3M tanks to replace combat vehicles of earlier modifications.
In addition, the commander of the Central Military District, Alexander Lapin, reported in 2021 that three motorized rifle battalions of the 201st base were completely re-equipped with modern military equipment - BMP-2M and BTR-82A. Its anti-aircraft units received new and all-weather "Willow" complexes.
"The Kornet anti-tank guided missile systems, ASVK-M Kord sniper rifles, AK-12 assault rifles, extended-range and powerful rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers and equipment of logistics and technical support services have also arrived at the base," Lapin said in November 2021.
