VLADIVOSTOK. Dec 18 (Interfax) - The Laros 2019 joint military exercises by the Russian and Laotian Armed Forces have come to an end at the Ban Peng training ground in Laos, the press service for Russia's Eastern Military District said in a statement on Wednesday.
Exercise commander Maj. Gen. Valery Sharagov and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Lao People's Armed Forces Lieut. Gen. Pasith Thiengtham attended the solemn closing ceremony for the exercises, the statement said.
"The generals noted that the first bilateral military exercises by Russia and Laos had been held at a high level, which promotes the development of military and military-technical cooperation between Russia and Laos," the statement said.
More than 500 servicemen of the motorized infantry formation of the Eastern Military District from the Transbaikal territory and of the Lao People's Armed Forces took part in the exercises, it said.
Ilyishin Il-76 aircraft from Russian military transport aviation will take the Russian servicemen from Laos to their home base.
It was reported earlier that the Laros 2019 exercises began in Laos on December 10.