MOSCOW. Aug 2 (Interfax-AVN) - Over 8,000 servicemen and some 2,000 weapons systems are involved in the ordnance practice conducted on August 1-30 in the Southern military district of Russia and in Armenia.
"The artillery practice involves a total of over 8,000 personnel and some 2,000 ordinance systems and other weaponry, including some 300 pieces of artillery, 150 multiple artillery rocket systems and 200 mortars," press secretary of the commander of the military district Col. Igor Gorbul told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"The dynamic phase of the exercise will be held at the end of the practice on August 21-30," he said.
This phase will see the team-building of artillery (rocket) units and artillery brigades with tactical exercises and fire control training involving regular armaments (Msta-B and D30 towed howitzers, Msta -S, Akatsia and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, Vasilyok and Podnos mortars).
The artillery practice in the district is conducted in several stages and began with a battle march to the closest firing ranges in Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, Volgograd and Astrakhan regions, in several republics of the North Caucasus and in Armenia, Gorbul said.
The first stage, ending on Saturday, August 6, is dedicated to the unit training of platoons. At the second stage there will be team-building, involving tests to qualify for combat firing, the tactical exercises of batteries, demonstration and practice fire and final fire practice for officers and sergeants. The third stage will see the team-building of battalions (training in fire control, tests in fire control, tactical exercise of battalions).