Russian, Egyptian Paratroopers Hold Joint Drills In Cairo - Moscow

Faizan Hashmi Published October 21, 2021 | 11:45 AM

Russian and Egyptian airborne troops have practiced fire training at a training ground near Cairo as part of the Defenders of Friendship 2021 joint exercise, the Russian Ministry of Defense said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2021) Russian and Egyptian airborne troops have practiced fire training at a training ground near Cairo as part of the Defenders of Friendship 2021 joint exercise, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

The joint drills are being conducted from October 17-29, with the participation of the airborne personnel and equipment of both countries.

"As part of the joint tactical exercise Defenders of Friendship 2021, paratroopers from Russia and Egypt conducted fire training lessons, using elements of tactical shooting, at the paratrooper training ground of the armed forces of the Arab Republic of Egypt near Cairo," the ministry said.

During the exercises, soldiers fired at targets with small arms and also trained for shooting after exchanging samples of arms. Egyptian paratroopers fired from Russian AK-12 assault rifles at targets at a distance of 150-500 meters (492-1,640 feet), while Russians used AK-47 assault rifles.

Grenade throwers fired RPG-7D and RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers at the armored vehicles of a simulated enemy at distances ranging from 250-400 meters.

In the final stage of the fire training, soldiers blocked and destroyed the simulated enemy in a city neighborhood, using tactical shooting techniques.

In total, a consolidated unit of 500 Russian and Egyptian servicemen are involved in the drills along with the Il-76MD aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the C-130 Hercules and the Chinook heavy military transport helicopters of the Egyptian Air Force.

This year's Defenders of Friendship are the fifth in a row, with the first drills conducted near the Egyptian city of Alexandria in 2016. Russia's Krasnodar Territory was the host next year, followed by Cairo in 2018. In 2019, the joint exercise was held in Russia's Ryazan Region and involved Belarusian soldiers.