Russia conducts Iskander missile launches for the first time outside the country
Russian Iskander-M tactical missile systems made their first launches outside of Russia during military exercises held in Tajikistan. A ballistic missile destroyed a cluster of imaginary militants during maneuvers in Tajikistan. This was reported by TASS news agency, citing Colonel Yaroslav Roshchupkin, Assistant Commander of the Central Military District.
“For the first time, Iskander-M tactical missile systems destroyed a cluster of ‘fighters’ during exercises outside of Russia. The launching positions were at the Lyaur firing range in Tajikistan, 140km from the target. The missile, reaching an altitude of 100 km, attacked the camouflaged headquarters and training camp of imaginary militants,” Roshchupkin said.
He added that the control center confirmed the total destruction of the target.
In the context of the military exercises, strikes against imaginary militants were also dealt by Russian Tu-22m3 long-range bombers and Uragan multiple rocket launcher systems. “The recently established rocket division of the 201st military base, which has an Uragan multiple rocket launcher system, carried out firing assignments at the Kharbmaydon firing range, 15 km from the Tajikistan – Afghanistan border during the ‘Dushanbe anti-terror’ exercises in Tajikistan. The multiple rocket launcher battery attacked retreating groups of illegal armed formations with 220mm rocket projectiles, completing an entire salvo,” Roshchupkin stated.
The crews of the Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, after taking off from the airfield in the Novosibirsk region, carried out strikes on imaginary militia groups. “According to the exercise plan, long-range bombers destroyed the primary forces on the mountain road,” he added.
The Iskander-M tactical missile systems were recently relocated from the Orenburg region in Tajikistan.
Russia sent roughly 2,000 military personnel and more than 300 units of equipment, including 30 planes and helicopters, to the joint “Dushanbe Antiterror 2017” exercises which are being coordinated by the CIS Antiterrorist Center.