MOSCOW. Oct 18 (Interfax) - During a largescale command post exercise, about 20 Mil Mi-8AMTSh helicopters of the Air Force and Air Defense Formation of Russia's Southern Military District have ensured the landing of motorized rifle units of the Black Sea Fleet coastal defense formation while acting out practical actions of troops at the Opuk training range in the Russian internal republic of Crimea.
"According to the scenario of simulated hostilities, mock armed groups entered the republic with the aim of carrying out terrorist attacks and destabilizing the situation in other regions of the Southern Federal District. The militants were blocked by the forces of motorized rifle units of the army corps with the support of tactical airborne assault forces," the press service for the Southern Military District said on Monday.
The landing of military personnel was carried out as an assault from helicopters hovering above the ground using ropes and other special equipment, the press service said. Kamov Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters covered the tactical assault landing.
The formations and units of the Southern Military District, as well as units of the military bases in Abkhazia, Armenia, and South Ossetia, and a number of forces of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla, which will drill practical actions in the Black and Caspian seas, are taking part in the command post exercise, the press service said.
"About 8,000 troops are participating in the combat post exercise, and about 350 weapons and pieces of military equipment are involved from the combined-arms armies, air force, and air defense formations and units of the combat arms and special forces of district subordination and the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla," it said.