YEKATERINBURG. March 10 (Interfax) - More than 8,000 servicemen from Russia's Central Military District are taking part in a rocket and artillery exercise in Kemerovo, Orenburg, and Chelyabinsk regions, the press service for the Central Military District said in a statement on Tuesday.
"More than 8,000 servicemen from rocket and artillery forces and over 1,700 pieces of hardware have been deployed to training ranges in the Kemerovo, Orenburg, and Chelyabinsk regions. In the coming month, the servicemen will hold a series of tactical exercises and will accomplish reconnaissance, assault, and firing missions," the statement quoted Central Military District Commander Alexander Lapin as saying.
The exercise involves the crews of Iskander-M missile systems, Uragan and Grad rocket launchers, and 152mm Msta self-propelled and towed howitzers. Zoopark and SNAR-10 artillery reconnaissance systems will reconnoiter targets and adjust fire together with Ironia, Strelets, and Namotka-KS reconnaissance complexes and a group of about 30 Forpost, Orlan-10, and Eleron-3 drones.
The Central Military District is stationed in 29 constituent territories of Russia on the territory of the Volga, Urals, and Siberian federal districts. It also includes the 201st Russian base in Tajikistan, the Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan, and forces stationed in Kazakhstan.