YEKATERINBURG. April 5 (Interfax) - Russian and Tajik troops have simulated defeating a mock illegal armed formation with support from helicopters, tanks and artillery during a joint exercise near the Afghan border, the press service for the Russian Central Military District said on Wednesday.
"While training at the Kharb Maidon range, Orlan 10 unmanned aerial vehicles spotted a concentration of mock enemy forces mounted on paramilitary armored vehicles. Motorized infantry units in infantry combat vehicles, backed by upgraded T-72B3M tanks, formed defense lines along the column's path," the press service said.
"Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters routed the approaching mobile illegal armed formation. The pilots fired unguided missiles, forcing the enemy to disperse and take shelter in the mountain crevices," it said.
The forces used 2S1 Gvozdika and 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers to suppress and destroy enemy troops, artillery and mortar batteries, and command posts, the press service said.
It was reported earlier that a Russian-Tajik exercise began at the Khabr Maidon range in Tajikistan's Khatlon region near the Afghan border on April 3. The Russian contingent includes over 300 troops from the 201st military base and mobile ECM groups from the Central Military District.
Russian and Tajik troops will plan and conduct a simulated joint operation against illegal armed formations invading an allied state, and exercise control over their joint forces while blocking and eliminating the militants during the drills.
The exercise will end on April 7.