Nizhiniy (Russia)/New Delhi: With an eye on refining their drills and procedures for joint counter terrorism operations and conventional battlefield scenario, Exercise ZAPAD 2021 commenced on September 4, 2021 here with an aim to train troops to undertake joint operations in conventional battlefield scenario.
ZAPAD 2021 is one of the theatre level exercises of Russian Armed Forces which focus primarily on operations against terrorists.
The war exercises, though, have drawn considerable attention in light of a political crisis in Belarus, and the present uneasy relationship between Moscow and Washington.
Significantly, a 200 personnel contingent of Indian Army is also undertaking training in the multi nation exercise in which over a dozen countries from Eurasian and South Asian Region are participating.
“The Indian Contingent has been put through a strenuous training schedule which encompasses all facets of conventional operations including mechanised, airborne and heliborne, counter terrorism, combat conditioning and firing,” the Indian Defence Ministry stated. It added that ‘Exercise Zapad 2021’ aims at strengthening long standing strategic partnership between India and Russia and also enhance better understanding, cooperation with all other participating Nations.
Incidentally the joint training, which will culminate on September 16, 2021 with a fire power demonstration by Russian Armed Forces, is the largest military programme conducted in Europe for nearly 40 years. Offering details, Russia informed that practical actions of the troops are being held at nine training grounds located on the territory of the Russian Federation, in the Baltic Sea, as well as at five training grounds of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
In the Nizhny Novgorod region, at the Mulino training ground, specialists of the combat training of the Western Military District (WMD) for the joint strategic exercise Zapad-2021 have created a deep-echeloned target environment. They have prepared more than 15 thousand targets intended for destruction at distances from 100 m to 20 km. In total, more than 200 combat training specialists of the district are involved.
In total, up to 200 thousand military personnel are participating in Zapad-2021 on the territory of Russia and Belarus, and about 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 760 units of military equipment, including 290 tanks, 240 guns, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, as well as up to 15 ships are involved.
“The maximum number of personnel involved in the exercise of military units subject to the Vienna Document of 2011 on Confidence-and Security-building measures on the territory of the Russian Federation will not exceed 6.4 thousand military personnel,” the Russian Defence Ministry has claimed.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, on September 9, 2021, when the opening ceremony was conducted in Mulino Training Ground near Nizhniy in Novgograd region, more than 20 attack helicopters Ka-52 Alligator and Mi-28N Night Hunter flew to one of the airfields in the Nizhny Novgorod region in preparation for the joint strategic exercise (JSE) of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus Zapad–2021.
Army aviation crews took off from airfields on the territory of the Western Military District, covering an average of more than 500 km non-stop.
The opening ceremony had commenced with Guard of Honour by Russian Army followed by march past of participating Contingents. The Contingents were addressed by General Nikolay Pankov, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation and General of the Army.
As part of the exercise, important lectures, drills and demonstrations related to both Counter Terrorism and Conventional operations will be conducted. The Armies of all participating nations will also be sharing their valuable experiences in varied theatres as also refine their drills and procedures for joint operations.
“The exercise aims at strengthening long standing strategic partnership between India and Russia and also enhance better understanding, cooperation with all other participating Nations,” the Indian Defence Ministry stated in New Delhi, today.
-global bihari bureau
