MOSCOW. July 30 (Interfax-AVN) -- The Russian Airborne Force should interact more closely with fellow paratroopers from the CIS and other foreign nations, force commander Georgy Shpak said on Wednesday.
"I believe that the Russian Airborne Force should interact more closely in combat training with colleagues from the CIS armies and other Western nations. We have held joint exercises with paratroopers from Germany and France, and this practice should continue," Shpak told a news conference in Moscow.
The Airborne Force currently maintains close relations with paratroopers from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus, the commander went on. "A Ukrainian paratrooper delegation arrives tomorrow to share experience with Afghan war veterans. I will meet with them and discuss the issue," he said.
According to Shpak, a platoon of the 7th guard airborne division is expected to take part in a joint Russian-Greek paratrooper exercise in the third quarter of 2004.
He praised efficiency of paratroopers' combat training this year. "Unlike in the past years, no exercise or command post training have failed this year. On the contrary we have held an additional command post exercise with landing in the 31st detached airborne brigade in Ulyanovsk in July. The landing of hardware and personnel totaling 510 people was successful," Shpak added.