Skills on Point: Russian, Belarussian Forces Show Their Power at Zapad Drills
Skills on Point: Russian, Belarussian Forces Show Their Power at Zapad Drills
Sputnik International
Zapad 2017, the large-scale war games that are jointly held by Russian and Belarussian troops, are in full swing. Let’s take a look at the audacious servicemen... 19.09.2017, Sputnik International
Zapad 2017, the large-scale war games that are jointly held by Russian and Belarussian troops, are in full swing. Let’s take a look at the audacious servicemen perfecting their skills during the ongoing strategic military exercises.
The Zapad 2017 (West 2017) Russian-Belarussian military maneuvers kicked off on September 14 and are currently in their second stage. The joint war games involve about 12,700 servicemen, including up to 5,500 from Russia and about 7,200 from Belarus.
The first stage of the Zapad 2017 joint Russian-Belarussian war games ended on September 16. Combined forces of the two allied countries participated in mock defensive engagements and practiced long-distance rapid troop deployment. Photo: Ground forces of the Russia’s Baltic Fleet carry out firing during the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 military exercises.
The Russian military also test-launched an Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile on September 18 as part of the Zapad-2017 drills. "The missile flew a distance of 480 kilometers [some 300 miles] and successfully hit a designated target at the Makat testing range [Kazakhstan]," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Zapad 2017 drills are currently in their second stage. During this phase, the troops' commanders were tasked with repelling simulated acts of aggression against the Union State. Photo: Combined forces during the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 military exercises at the Luzhsky range in Leningrad region.
On Monday, September 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a training range in the Leningrad region and observed anti-terrorism drills during the Zapad-2017 drills. Photo: Active phase of the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 military exercises at the Luzhsky range in Leningrad region.
During the active phase of the Zapad 2017 drills, the Russian troops were engaged in repelling attacks by the militants, using Tunguska gun-missile air defense systems, Pantsir-S1 missile air defense systems and Strela-1 MANPADs to destroy air targets. Photo: Active phase of the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 military exercises at the Luzhsky range in Leningrad region.
Meanwhile T-90 tanks, Su-24 fighter jets, Su-34 tactical bombers and Mi-24, Mi-28 and Ka-52 attack helicopters were hitting targets on the ground. Photo: Active phase of the Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 military exercises at the Luzhsky range in Leningrad region.
The strategic military exercises also involve up to 70 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, 680 items of ground-based military equipment, including about 250 tanks, 200 artillery systems, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, and 10 warships.
Army servicemen during a simulated combat operation on holding defensive positions during the Zapad 2017 Russian-Belarusian joint strategic military exercises at the Osipovichi range in Mogilev Region, Belarus.
The Stoiky corvette, left, is seen here as Baltic Sea ships set out for the Zapad 2017 Russia-Belarus military exercises.
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