Page 72 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

Exercise
Report Tsentr-2019

Russia’s airborne

renaissance In recent months, the

Russian Aerospace
Forces and Airborne
Forces have taken part
in a series of exercises
A exercise (strategicheskiye participate. The latest exercise the official numbers, it’s worth to test new ideas and
were involved. While these were
forces from other countries that
strategic command-staff
komandno-shtabnyye also demonstrated the readiness noting that they likely include all concepts for rapid
ucheniya, SKShU) is held annually of Russia and the states of the troops within the regions taking intervention missions.
as the final stage of combat Central Asian region to protect part, such as those in support roles The largest so far was
training for the armed forces of their national interests. or active in unrelated exercises. Exercise Tsentr-2019.
the Russian Federation. Each This exercise was the biggest of During Tsentr-19, these forces were
year, the series rotates through the year and military contingents under the leadership of General Dmitri Sribnyi reports
the four main Russian operational from China, India, Kazakhstan, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the from Donguz in the
strategic commands – Vostok Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and general staff of the armed forces Urals region.
(Eastern), Zapad (Western), Tsentr Uzbekistan took part, mostly with of the Russian Federation and
(Central) and Kavkas (Southern). ground troops. This was the most first deputy minister of defence.
This year was the turn of the significant foreign contingent yet, The various phases of Tsentr-2019
Central Military District – Tsentr. following Belarusian participation took place from September 16 Below: Both armed with
The cited purpose of the in Zapad-2017, and China and to 21 at eight training grounds B-8 pods for 80mm calibre
manoeuvres is to verify the level Mongolia sending troops for in Russia (Totsky and Donguz unguided rockets, Mi-8MTV-5
‘42 Yellow’ and Mi-24P ‘14 Red’
of training among the troops Vostok-2018. In total, around in the Orenburg region, Adanak support an armoured assault

and headquarters, expand the 128,000 military personnel, more in Dagestan, Ashuluk near on the battlefield at Donguz.
combat training to which troops than 20,000 items of equipment Astrakhan, Chebarkul in the These rotorcraft belong to the
are exposed and increase the and heavy weapons, approximately Chelyabinsk region, Safakulevo 440th Independent Helicopter
Regiment at Vyazma.
level of interaction with armed 600 aircraft and up to 15 ships near Kurgan, Aleisk in the Altai and Dmitri Sribnyi

70 // December 2019 #381 www.Key.Aero

70-72 Tsentr AFM Dec2019.indd 70 08/11/2019 12:38:12