Russia and other participating nations practiced a variety of aerial and ground maneuvers at the Zapad-2021 Exercises to demonstrate Russian military capabilities.
This year’s exercise is taking place on September 15 and 16 on Russian and Belarussian training grounds, according to the Moscow-based TASS media outlet.
Airstrike Exercises
An airstrike was conducted at the Mulino Proving Ground involving over 60 planes, including Su-24MR reconnaissance planes, 12 Su-25 attack aircraft, 16 Su-30 multipurpose fighters, 6 Su-24 bombers, and 6 Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers.
A fleet of Tu-22M3s also dropped 1.5-tonne (1,360 kg) bombs on 50 mock enemy targets units.
Night Paratrooper Landing
Russian Airborne Forces also conducted a nighttime landing of 600 paratroopers and 30 BMD-2K-AU and BMD-4M vehicles for the first time at the Strugi Krasnye range.
The drill also showcased Russia’s cutting-edge BMD-4M vehicles, demonstrating a drop with a paratrooper aboard the military vehicle.
The exercises also saw the participation of 20 Indian paratroopers, jumping from 21 Il-76MD military-transport planes simultaneously into two landing areas and repelling mock attacks in urban areas with Russian and Kazakh airborne forces supported by strike helicopters.