Thread by @RALee85

Thread: The Zapad 2021 operational-strategic exercise has begun in Russia and Belarus with the opening ceremony at the Mulino training area in Nizhny Novgorod (one of the primary ranges for the exercise). The last Zapad exercise occurred in 2017.

The operational-strategic exercise is the most important training event each year for the Russian military, and it rotates between Russia's four main military districts. The past three:
-Southern: Kavkaz 2020
-Central: Tsentr 2019
-Eastern: Vostok 2018
2/

The Northern Fleet was upgraded to a military district last year, but there is no indication it will get its own operational-strategic ex. It typically conducts a simultaneous exercise with the annual exercise and appears to be even more incorporated into this year's Zapad. 3/

Video of the Zapad 2021 opening ceremony from the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus with Belarusian, Russian, and Kazakh servicemen. 4/

Video from the Zapad opening ceremony in Kaliningrad with the leadership of the Baltic Fleet. In addition to the Baltic Fleet's 336th Naval Infantry Brigade, the Northern Fleet's 61st Naval Infantry Brigade will take part in the exercise in Kaliningrad. 5/

The Northern Fleet has begun a large-scale exercise with ~40 tanks; 460 armored vehicles; 120 aircraft; 50 ships; and up to 240 mortars, MLRS, and artillery pieces. The video shows S-300, Pantsir-S, MT-LB, BM-21 Grad, and T-80BVM tanks. 6/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202199174…

The Russian MoD said the Northern Fleet's exercise will take place in the Barents, Kara, Chukchi, East Siberian Seas, and Laptev Seas; near the New Siberian Islands; and the Frans Josef Land archipelago in the Arctic to protect the Northern Sea Route. 6/
interfax.ru/russia/789418

Photo of servicemen from India, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Armenia who will take part in the Zapad exercise at the Mulino training area in Nizhny Novgorod. 7/
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Photos of the detachments from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan at the Mulino training area. 8/
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Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said, "Its [Zapad 2021] purpose is to train personnel in conducting combat operations in current conditions and enhance the operative compatibility of military command bodies of our allies and friendly states" 9/
tass.com/defense/1335631

A group of Northern Fleet ships led by the Severomorsk Project 1155 large ASW ship and Georgiy Pobedonosets Project 775 BDK have headed to Dudinka where they will retake the seaport and strategic infrastructure from saboteurs. 10/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202199434…
tvzvezda.ru/news/202199172…

Video of Indian soldiers at the Mulino training area. 11/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202199113…

12/

https://twitter.com/The_Lookout_N/status/1435173983855460355

Another video of the Northern Fleet's Severomorsk Project 1155 large ASW ship, Georgiy Pobedonosets Project 775 BDK, and Pamir tanker ship arriving in Dudinka. 13/

I suspect the exercise in Dudinka will look similar to this Northern Fleet exercise from the same location in 2019. The scenario was also similar: defending/retaking strategically important industrial facilities from saboteur groups. 14/

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1163453761551044609

Troops from Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia will take part in maneuvers at Zapad; officers from Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take part in C2; and China, Vietnam and Myanmar will send observers to Zapad 2021. 15/
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>1.5k comm servicemen are taking part in Zapad with more than 600 pieces of equipment, including R-160-0.5 and P 240I-4 Pereselenets communications systems. Comm units have set up CPs and EW specialists have set up countermeasures to protect them. 16/
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The Russian MoD said that 15k targets were set up at the Mulino training area at distances from 100m-20 km. As a reminder, Germany's Rheinmetall was involved in upgrading Mulino until the 2014 invasion of Ukraine. 16/
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Two helicopter squadrons with more than 20 Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters flew to airfields in Nizhny Novgorod for the Zapad 2021 exercise. 17/
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Belarusian CGS Major General Viktor Gulevich: I am convinced that the exercise will demonstrate the high readiness of the armies of our countries for joint actions to ensure the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the Union State. 18/
mil.by/ru/news/139693/

Major General Gulevich continued, "This will be a kind of signal for the collective West in the futility of talking from a position of strength with the peoples of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization." 19/

Gulevich said the regional grouping of forces will conduct defensive battles, retrograde operations, maneuver defense, and a counteroffensive to restore the territorial integrity of Belarus during Zapad. 20/
mil.by/ru/news/139693/

He also said a special feature of the exercise is the number and diversity of desant (airborne, amphibious assault, etc.) operations at various levels (e.g. tactical and operational). 21/

Gulevich said that Belarusian SSO (SOF) would work with the 6th Mechanized Brigade and units from Russian 2nd Tamanskaya Motorized Rifle Division at the Bretsky training area. They will cross water obstacles, counter sabotage groups, and airborne operations at day and night. 22/

This other thread I started in July covered some of the details of Zapad and some of the preparatory exercises that preceded it with units that will take part in Zapad. 23/

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1410450334049308680

Those recently transferred Russian Su-30SM fighters have gone on combat duty at Baranovichi airfield as part of Zapad. One of the questions is whether they will only be used for training or have an operational status in Belarus after the exercise. 24/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191052…

15 ships from the Baltic Fleet have left port to take part in Zapad. They include the Soobrazitelnyy and Boikiy Project 20380 corvettes and Aleksandr Shabalin and Korolev Project 775 large landing ships. 25/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191025…

Video of Baltic Fleet corvettes (including the Steregushchiy corvette) engaging aerial and surface targets, and Su-30SM, Su-25, and Tu-22M3 aircraft on the move, likely being relocated to bases closer to the action (or avoiding cruise missile strikes). 26/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191001…

Video of some action. Msta-S howitzers are engaging targets, T-80U tanks from the 4th Kantemirovskaya Tank Division on the offensive alongside BMD-4M IFVs, and paratroopers preparing to load onto Mi-8 helicopters and BMD-4M on Il-76 aircraft. 27/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191001…

Zapad has begun at the Kirilovsky, Strugi Krasnye, Mulino, Pogonovo, Khmelevka, Pravdinsky, Dobrovolsky, Dorogobuzh, and Volsky ranges in Russia; in the Baltic Sea; and Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky, Chepelevo, Domanovsky, and Ruzhansky ranges in Belarus. 28/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191001…

The graphic doesn't show all of the above ranges and lists a # of other ranges/bases in Russia not mentioned as part of Zapad. Ashuluk will likely be used for live-fire events and others may show where units are coming from or where aircraft are based. 29/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202199165…

Zvezda mentions that the exercise encompasses more than 2,000 kilometers in distance, ranging from the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad to the Pogonovo training area in Voronezh and Mulino training area in Nizhny Novgorod. 30/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191001…

Russian officials have said that ~200k servicemen will take part in Zapad but only 12,800 in Belarus (including 2.5k Russian servicemen). They claim that <6,400 troops will take part in Russia under a single operational command subject to the OSCE 2011 Vienna Document. 31/

Russian Air Defense Forces anti-aircraft missile regiments with S-400 and Pantsir-S air defense systems have gone on combat duty and moved to new positions as part of Zapad. This includes repelling ambushes from sabotage groups. 32/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191023…

For the 1st time, Russia will air drop a full BMD-4M battalion from the VDV’s 137th Airborne Regiment with >30 BMD-4M and 300 paratroopers from 15 Il-76 aircraft at the Zhitovo LZ. They are being loaded at the Dyagilevo airfield.33/
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Photos of the VDV’s 137th Airborne Regiment loading up BMD-4M armored vehicles onto Il-76 transport aircraft at the Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan. The aircraft will fly to the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield before dropping the paratroopers and equipment. 34/
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The Western Military District said that they have built a multilevel reconnaissance system in Nizhny Novgorod with Orlan-10, Takhion, and Forpost UAVs as well as Ironia and Strelets ground-based reconnaissance equipment. 35/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191011…

Servicemen from the Northern Fleet's 61st Naval Infantry Brigade and naval spetsnaz retook the port in Dudinka from simulated terrorists. 36/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191044…

Not sure about the new Metal Gear Solid game. 37/

Briefing from a Russian officer to the multinational contingent of the scheme of maneuver at the Mulino training area. Not sure if that electronic map was built by Rheinmetall as with other parts of the range. 38/

If you had any doubt that the adversary in this scenarios is NATO, who else operates Global Hawk UAVs? 39/

Screenshots of the map and the planned scheme of maneuver for Russian and foreign forces at the Mulino training area. 40/

41/

https://twitter.com/konrad_muzyka/status/1436250820035719178

Video of Su-35S fighters from the 6th Air and Air Defense Forces Army relocating to airfields for Zapad. >80 helicopters and aircraft will take part in Zapad, including Su-30SM, MiG-31BM, Su-34, Mi-8, Mi-28N, Ka-52, and Mi-35. 42/

tvzvezda.ru/news/202191013…

Photos of Northern Fleet servicemen from the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade retaking the port at Dudinka from simulated terrorists with DT-30 vehicles and Ka-27 helicopters. 43/
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As part of Zapad, S-400 regiments with Pantsir-S SHORAD detected >50 aerial targets and repelled a large aviation strike on targets in a heavy EW environment with electronic launches. Podlet K1 low-altitude radar also took part. 44/

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So the Su-30SM fighters Russia deployed to Belarus are from the 14th Fighter Aviation Regiment based in Khalino airfield in Kursk. 45/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191014…

Video of some of the foreign troops, including from India and Mongolia, getting acquainted with their BMP-2 and T-72B3 tanks that they will use during the exercise at the Mulino training area. 46/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191014…

Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters were relocated to airfields in the Ryazan and Tambov oblasts for the exercise. 47/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191020…

Video of paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division establishing security in their AOR at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus. Note the use of sensors (Strelets?) to detect a sabotage group and respond with a Tigr-M + Arbalet-DM. 48/

They reportedly used the Perimeter-S complex, which is part of the Strelets system, for the first time to detect the sabotage group. 49/

It also looks as though RKhBZ troops tested the soil for contamination. 50/

Rare look at members of the Russian Ewok brigade preparing to counter AT-ST on Endor with Igla-S MANPADS. 51/

Video of paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division preparing for a night jump with their NVGs at the Kresty airfield in Pskov. 52/

https://twitter.com/konrad_muzyka/status/1436414100188303361

Russian Military police units thwarted an attack on the CP of the 6th Combined Arms Army in Nizhny Novgorod by simulated saboteurs (played by ZVO spetsnaz), and Russian MPs have started performing their role in Belarus.
53/
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Paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division conducted a recon yesterday of the Brestky and Obuz-Lesnovsky training areas. The airborne operation may occur at Bretsky. 54/
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Major General Yevgeny Ilyin said the most active combat training component with the most equipment would occur farther from NATO's borders, which means Mulino. 55/
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Video of that night airborne operation with 700 paratroopers from the 76th Air Assault Division landing at the Strugi Krasnye training area. They also dropped some BMD-2 airborne armored vehicles. 56/
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Another video of last night's airborne operation with ~600-700 paratroopers and 9 vehicles at the Kislovo LZ to seize an airfield to allow follow on forces to land. Enemy targets were struck by aircraft and arty before landing. 57/
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They dropped the BMD-2 vehicles and Nona mortars 1st before the paratroopers. After landing, they will make a 100km movement to the Strugi Krasnye range where they will destroy enemy targets, defense the border, and support the counteroffensive. 58/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191192…

Another video of the exercise. The Russian MoD said this was the first time Russian paratroopers carried out an airborne operation with modern NVGs (presumably, they meant at the battalion level). Not sure every paratrooper had his own NVG. 59/

Video of paratroopers from the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade deploying Orlan-10 UAVs at the Mulino training area. >40 Takhion, Zastava, Orlan-10, and Outpost UAVs will be used every day during Zapad 2021 (and probably Orion/Inokhodets UCAVs). 60/

Photos of an Orlan-10 UAV team from the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade at the Mulino training area. The 31st Air Assault Brigade has taken part in every recent strategic command-staff exercise because it is a helicopter air assault unit. 61/
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Video of foreign troops at the Mulino training area getting familiarized with the T-72B3 tanks and BMP-2 IFVs they will use during the exercise. 62/

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The Baltic Fleet's Dmitrov Project 877 diesel submarine, apparently acting as OPFOR, engaged surface targets in the Baltic Sea that were supposed to imitate Baltic Fleet ships with torpedoes. 63/
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tvzvezda.ru/news/202191184…

In Kaliningrad yesterday, Baltic Fleet motorized rifle formations conducted a maneuver defense with ambushes with attached tank units, 1k servicemen, and 70 vehicles, including 2S1 and 2S3 howitzers, T-72B3 and T-72B tanks, and Tunguska SHORAD. 64/
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Su-24 bombers, Shturm-S ATGM carriers, Grad and Uragan MLRS, and BMP-3 also took part in the exercise. They emphasized maintaining constant comms against heavy use of enemy EW, and practiced retreating to prepared positions to conduct the ambushes. 65/
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Video of the defense/counterattack exercise at Pravdinsky in Kaliningrad. Su-27 fighters were used to fight for air supremacy and defensive counter air; Su-30SM bombed CPs and log depots; Mi-24, Su-24 Uragan, and 2S3 struck targets; and tanks used the tank carousel tactic. 66/

The enemy was clearly a well-equipped force with armor and infantry, and Baltic Fleet servicemen also fired Igla-S MANPADS. After stopping the enemy, they conducted a coordinated fire strike with alternating strikes from arty and aviation. 67/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191117…

The Su-24 and Su-30SM aircraft dropped FAB-250 bombs at low altitudes simulating dive bombing to counter enemy air defenses. UR-77 MICLIC were used to clear lanes for the counterattack, which was supported by Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, which used EW systems to counter AD. 68/

>300 pieces of equipment, >20 aircraft (including UAVs), and ~5k servicemen were involved in the exercise at the Pravdinsky range. Mi-8 helicopters also conducted an air assault operation. At the end, the joint forces retook their previous positions. 69/
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70/

https://twitter.com/konrad_muzyka/status/1436771852769181702

The Russian MoD said a MiG-31 interceptor was raised to meet a Norwegian Air Force P-3C Orion aircraft over the Barents Sea. 71/
tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1…

https://twitter.com/GDarkconrad/status/1436245131254980608

The Northern Fleet's Verkhoturye Project 667BDRM SSBN and Oryol Project 949AM SSGN have entered the Barents Sea as part of the fleet's Arctic exercise escorted by minesweepers and Grachonok class anti-saboteur boats with PDSS divers. 72/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191116…

As part of the Arctic expeditionary group for protecting its Arctic islands, the Northern Fleet's Admiral Ushakov Project 956 destroyer and Admiral Kasatonov Project 22350 frigate with Bal and Bastion systems countered enemy ships in the Barents Sea. 73/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191112…

The Admiral Kasatonov worked with Bastion systems and conducted electronic launches, while the Admiral Ushakov worked with a Bal coastal defense system that reportedly struck a target at more than 100km. 74/
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Baltic Fleet Bal coastal defense systems also conducted electronic launches on a simulated enemy detachment of surface ships. 75/
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We're going to see an Iskander-M launch from the Luzhsky training area in Leningrad from the ZVO's 26th Missile Brigade at a command post at over 100km. They have already conducted electronic launches. (Photos of a launch from Zapad 2017) 76/
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Paratroopers from the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade practiced rappelling from Mi-8AMTSh helicopters and loading D-30 howitzers and Sarmat vehicles in preparation for conducting air assault operations during Zapad. 77/
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Video of paratroopers practicing loading and transporting Sarmat-2 light vehicles from Mi-8AMTSh helicopters at the Savasleika airfield in Nizhny Novgorod. 78/
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Photos of paratroopers from the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade practicing rappelling from Mi-8AMTSh helicopters. 79/
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>300 EW specialists and >50 pieces of equipment, including Krasukha-4, Krasukha-2, Zhitel, and Borisoglebsk, will be used as part of Zapad 2021 to provide protection for CPs, comms, missile systems, and counter missile guidance, aircraft, and UAVs. 80/
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The Russian MoD now has its dedicated Zapad page set up with an infographic and map of some of the training areas that will be used during the exercise. 81/
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Here's the Russian MoD's graphic of the Zapad 2021 exercise in English. 82/
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Video of servicemen from a Russian motorized rifle unit at the Brestky training area in Belarus manning their defensive positions with sniper and Igla-S MANPADS teams and responding to sabotage/recon teams. 83/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191212…
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Screenshots of the trenches and an Igla-S MANPADS position. They could do a better job concealing the trenches getting rid of the recently upturned dirt, but the Igla-S position looks good. 84/

Someone is ready to be goon #37 in a Hollywood movie. 85/

Servicemen from the Northern Fleet's 61st Naval Infantry Brigade conducted an amphibious assault at Khmelevka in Kaliningrad with the Olenegorskiy Gornyak, Korolev, Minsk, and Kaliningrad Project 775 BDKs and the 336th NI Brigade defending the beaches. 86/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191120…

The exercise involved 2k personnel, 10 ships, 10 aircraft and helicopters, and >200 pieces of equipment. >40 BTR-80s swam to shore from the 4 large landing ships and both Project 1232.2 Zubr LCACs and Raptor landing craft also reportedly took part. 87/
interfax.ru/russia/789814

Photos of Russian/Belarusian Msta-S howitzers, BM-21 Grad MLRS, and BM-27 Uragan MLRS conducting a live-fire exercise at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus. 88/
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Photos from the amphibious landing of the Evgeniy Kocheshkov Project 1232.2 Zubr LCAC landing Nona 120mm mortars and R-149MA1 command and staff vehicles as well as Su-30SM aircraft. 89/
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Photos of Raptor fast-attack craft, ZSU-23-4 Shilka, BM-21 Grad MLRS, and BTR-80/82 vehicles swimming to shore. 90/
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A Northern Fleet BTR-82 and the Baltic Fleet's Minsk Project 775 large landing ship. 91/
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The commander of the Russian Navy Admiral Nikolai Evmenov watched the exercise. Naval Aviation Su-30SM fighters and Su-24 bombers provided fire support for the landing. 92/
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Another video of the Northern Fleet amphibious landing supported by Su-27 and Su-30SM fighters, Su-24 bombers, and Mi-24 attack helicopters. Engineers were brought by Raptor fast-attack craft first to clear and mark lanes for follow on forces. 93/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191274…

After the engineers cleared a lane, BTR-80/82 vehicles swam to shore from the four Project 775 large landing ships followed by the Evgeniy Kocheshkov Project 1232.2 Zubr LCAC with Nona 120mm mortars and R-149MA1 command and staff vehicles. 94/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191274…

Another video of last night’s airborne operation with 600-700 paratroopers from the 76th Air Assault Division at the Kislovo landing zone. 95/
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On the 100km movement from Kizlovo to Strugi Krasnye, the paratroopers overcame contaminated terrain and mines and an ambush by an illegal armed group. They also repelled an aviation attack with Igla and Verba MANPADS, Strela-10MN, and ZU-23-2. 96/
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Western Military District S-400 units with Pantsir-S systems arrived at the Ashuluk training area in Astrakhan as part of Zapad 2021 where they will conduct a live-fire exercise. 97/
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Meanwhile, the Belarusian 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade struck targets at the Sary-Shagan training area in Kazakhstan with Polonez and Smerch MLRS. Tochka-U ballistic missile systems were also redeployed there. 98/
vayar.mil.by/news/139780/

Russian Su-35S fighters from Ryazan intercepted more than 10 aerial targets, flown by Su-30SM fighters, and engaged them with electronic launches of air-to-air missiles at more than 100km. 99/
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tvzvezda.ru/news/202191271…

Baltic Fleet Su-27 fighters from the 689th Fighter Aviation Regiment launched air-to-air missiles at ALCM, and MiG-31BM from the 790th Fighter Aviation Regiment destroyed enemy aircraft simulated by Su-24. 100/
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More than 300 paratroopers and 30 BMD-4M armored vehicles from the VDV's 137th Airborne Regiment in Ryazan were transferred to Ulyanovsk from where they will later be air dropped at the Zhitovo LZ in Ryazan from 23 Il-76MD aircraft. 101/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191235…

Tu-22M3 and Su-34 bombers bombed simulated armored vehicles, concrete shelters, and camouflaged fortified underground command posts at a range near Smolensk. 20 aircraft took part in the exercise, including Su-30SM fighters that escorted the bombers. 102/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191264…

The Northern Fleet's Oryol Project 949AM SSGN launched a Granit anti-ship missile at a target imitating a large surface ship in the Barents Sea. 103/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191216…

Belarusian Yak-130 flying over the Ruzhansky training area. In the scenario, recon detected a large group of enemy forces and an airfield with enemy aircraft. Belarusian Su-30SM were scrambled to control the airspace before helos, bombers, and attack aircraft attacked. 104/

More than 50 aerial bombs, 130 rockets and 850 30mm shells were fired at targets, including from Belarusian Yak-130, Su-25, and Mi-24. They also practiced CSAR with two Mi-24 helicopters helping recover a crashed crew. 105/
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One of the battalions from Belarus' 38th Separate Air Assault Brigade made a movement from the Domanovo training area to the Brestsky training area, and conducted a water crossing across the Mukhovets river. 106/
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As part of the scenario yesterday, Russian EW crews with Borisoglebsk-1 and Zhitel systems at the Mulino training area stopped an attack by 20 enemy UCAVs on military infrastructure targets after they were detected by Russian radar. 107/
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The Russian MoD said Belarusian troops and Russian razvedchiki from the 1st Tank Army (96th Recon Brigade?) are using Strelets recon, control, and communication systems to pass target location/info of OPFOR CPs, fuel/ammo depots, and railway stations. 108/
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The Russian MoD's English language page is not doing a great job of communicating what the Russian military is doing (the Strelets is a man-portable recon system, not a cruise missile). 109/
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VDV and Baltic Fleet troops are using Forpost and Orlan-10 UAVs at the Pravdinsky and Khmelevka training grounds in Kaliningrad. They are also using Platforma-M UGVs (stock photo) during urban operations and to pass through minefields. 110/
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Russia's 4th Kantemirovskaya Tank Division's regimental HQs are using Akatsiya-M mobile automated command and control system at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground. 111/
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Photos of servicemen from Belarus' 6th Mechanized Brigade at the Brestsky training ground from Sep 10 as they repelled an attack and occupied defensive positions. 112/
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Motorized ifle sniper teams stopped a convoy of light armored vehicles at night in Mulino with ASVK and SVD sniper rifles and thermal optics. The convoy was then struck by artillery after the target info was transmitted by Strelets systems. 113/
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Another video from the nighttime battalion airborne operation from two nights ago with paratroopers and BMD-2, BTR-D, and Nona vehicles from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division. 114/
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Video from the night jump and airfield seizure. 115/

116/

https://twitter.com/vcdgf555/status/1437140529200832514

Engineers set up a pontoon bridge across the Klyazma River Vladimir oblast in support of motorized rifle units with Mi-28N helicopters providing security after the enemy destroyed a bridge on the river. This included TMM-3M2 heavy mechanized bridges. 117/
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Putin will be in attendance at Mulino tomorrow for the main stage of Zapad 2021 where Armenian, Belarusian, Indian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, and Mongolian troops will repel the enemy offensive, conduct a maneuver defense, and defeat the enemy. 118/
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The Russian MoD said that all troops taking part in Zapad 2021 will return to their permanent bases by mid-October. 119/
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More than 60 Il-76, An-26, and other military transport aircraft crews are preparing for a large airborne operation as part of Zapad. 120/
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Razvedchiki from the 1st Tank Army's 96th Reconnaissance Brigade used 3 quadcopter UAVs to conduct reconnaissance at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus. 121/
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During that 76th Air Assault Division battalion-level airborne night drop with >20 Il-76 transport aircraft, Su-30SM fighters provided air cover with support from Mi-8AMTSh and Ka-50 helicopters, and C2 provided by A-50U and Il-22 aircraft. 122/
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Overview of the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus where the main action occurred today. 123/

Lukashenko was on hand to watch today's festivities at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus next to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. 124/

Nice camouflaged bunker made out of lumber. 125/

Video from the Obuz-Lesnovsky range in Belarus today. Russian, Belarusian, and Kazakh forces practiced perimeter and maneuver defense, covering units in the defense, air strikes, mass artillery fires, air assault, and liberating a captured settlement. 126/

The exercise involved Russian/Belarusian aviation; Belarusian SSO and a territorial forces' infantry battalion; units from the RGF; units from Russia's 4th Tank Division and 76th Air Assault Division; and Kazakhstan's 35th Air Assault Brigade. 127/
mil.by/ru/news/139854/

>100 Russian and Belarusian 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S5 Giatsint-S, and Msta-S arty; BM-21 Grad and BM-27 Uragan MLRS; and 300 military personnel fired >1000 rounds/rockets and struck >200 targets, including enemy CPs, armor, and troops at Obuz-Lesnovsky. 128/
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Russian/Belarusian engineers stopped a counterattack with armored vehicles with a 400-meter-long fire shaft in an anti-tank trench with flammable liquid. Engineers later used UR-77 MICLIC and UR-83P APOBS to create a lane for counterattacking forces. 129/
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4 Su-34 bombers conducted SEAD, Tu-22M3 bombers struck the enemy army corps' CP, Su-30SM fighters protected the bombers, Su-25 and Yak-130 struck an armored column, and Ka-52 and Mi-24 helicopters covered defending forces. 130/
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Another video from the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area showing the joint forces conducting a maneuver defense and retaking a settlement captured by an illegal armed group. Plenty of armor, artillery/MLRS (including TOS-1A MLRS), VDV BMD-4M, Tu-22M3, and Ka-52/Mi-24 helicopters. 131/

Video from yesterday’s action at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus. 132/
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Video from yesterday’s action at occupied settlement the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus with Mi-8 and Ka-52 helicopters. 133/
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Photos of the joint exercise to retake a settlement from an illegal armed group at the Obuz-Lesnovsky range. VDV units with BMD-4M set up a cordon before Mi-8 landed the assault force to retake the settlement. Ka-52 helicopters provided overwatch. 134/
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Video of the exercise to retake the settlement with Russian, Belarusian, and Kazakh paratroopers. The end of the video shows a Belarusian Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter inserting Belarusian SSO/paratroopers to retake an island in a separate episode. 135/
vayar.mil.by/news/139787/

Photos of that operation to retake an island from an illegal armed group with divers and Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters. 136/
vayar.mil.by/news/139787/

Paratroopers from Kazakhstan's 35th Air Assault Brigade during the opening ceremony and during the assault on the settlement at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area. 137/
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Belarusian Mi-8MTV-5 and Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopters inserting paratroopers during the assault. Some of the Russian paratroopers rappelled from their helicopters. 138/
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Belarusian servicemen during the assault on the settlement. 139/

Russian Ka-52 and Belarusian Mi-24 helicopters engaging simulated enemy targets with S-8 rockets. 140/

Belarusian Su-30SM, Yak-130, and Su-25 aircraft and Russian Su-34 bombers. 141/

T-80U and T-72B1 tanks, BMD-4M, Tunguska SHORAD, TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS, BM-21 Grad MLRS, and Msta-S howitzers at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area. 142/

Video of Russian Mi-35 and Mi-24 helicopters supporting ground forces by employing the helicopter carousel technique and TTPs developed in Syria against enemy armor, troops, comms, CPs, and MSRs with S-8 rockets and Shturm-V and Ataka-M ATGMs. 143/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191354…

Video of aviation at Ruzhansky yesterday in Belarus, which included Tu-22M3 bombers and Su-30SM fighters. These represented deeper targets than at Obuz-Lesnovsky, including an airfield. They also conducted a CSAR at the end with Mi-24 and Mi-8 helos. 144/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191323…

Baltic Fleet ships as well as S-300 and S-400 air defense systems helped repel a simulated air strike yesterday, and Su-27 fighters were scrambled to shoot down cruise missiles. 145/
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Baltic Fleet ships also searched for and destroyed a simulated submarine in the Baltic Sea with Ka-27PL anti-submarine helicopters. The submarine was destroyed by RBU-600 rocket launchers and torpedoes. 146/
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RKhBZ troops responded to a simulated chemical weapons attack yesterday at the Mulino training area with RKhM-6 reconnaissance vehicles and ARS-14KM disinfecting systems. 147/
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Baltic Fleet Bastion and Bal coastal defense systems also practiced engaging surface ships yesterday. 148/
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Zvezda video from the Obuz-Lesnovsky range yesterday. The first 50 seconds shows the paratrooper assault on the captured settlement, and the rest shows aviation, artillery, MLRS, UR-77 MICLIC, and armored forces in the defense and counterattack. 149/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191312…

More than 100 pieces of equipment and 200 servicemen took part in a live-fire exercise at the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan with Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles, Polonez, and Smerch MLRS. 150/

Video of the aviation component from yesterday's action at the Obuz-Lesnovsky and Ruzhansky ranges with Tu-22M3 and Su-24 bombers, Su-30SM fighters, Yak-130, as well as Ka-52, Mi-8, and Mi-24 helicopters. 151/

Video of Belarus' 6th Mechanized Brigade conducting a maneuver defense at the Brestky training area against a superior force. Yak-130 and Mi-24 provided air support. 152/

Photos of Belarusian Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles, Polonez, and Smerch MLRS conducting a live-fire exercise at targets at 40-100km at the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan. 153/
vayar.mil.by/news/139928/

Photos of elements from Belarus' 6th Mechanized Brigade in the defense at the Brestky training area with T-72B tanks, BMP-2, and Tunguska SHORAD. T-72B NSV HMG shot down UAVs and Tunguskas and BMP-2 engaged helicopters. 154/
vayar.mil.by/news/139980/

Last night, 90 members of Russia's 45th Spetsnaz Brigade (who flew from Kubinka), 60 Belarusian paratroopers, and 20 Kazakh paratroopers conducted a night jump into the Brestky training area from three Il-76MD aircraft at 1500-1900 meters altitude. 155/

The paratroopers/SOF gathered at a designated point, camouflaged their equipment, conducted a raid, reconnaissance, and sabotage actions in the rear of a conventional enemy before conducting an exfil. Looks like pretty rare Dedal binocular NVGs. 156/
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Aside from the Dedal NVGs, the 45th Spetsnaz Brigade razvedchiki are armed with AK-12 rifles, Armokom LShZ 1+ helmets, and HEL-STAR 6 IR strobes. 157/
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Photos from the Belarusian MoD. It appears the Russian razvedchiki tried to minimize their use of lights, but the Belarusian and Kazakh (from the 38th and 35th Air Assault Brigades) used white lights and flares and jumped from only 600 meters. 158/
vayar.mil.by/news/139945/

Photos of servicemen from Russia's 45th Spetsnaz Brigade. Clearly, the difference in the quality of gear and equipment makes it difficult to conduct joint operations successfully. 159/
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Photos of Osa air defense systems taking part in Zapad 2021, presumably at either the Obuz-Lesnovsky or Ruzhansky training areas. 160/
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Video of the action at multiple training areas in Belarus and Russia as part of Zapad 2021, including 2S7 Pion/Malka artillery and 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm heavy mortars, Smerch and Grad MLRS, and Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters. 161/

I think the guys that run the Russian MoD's social media took the weekend off. Video of the amphibious assault with the Northern Fleet's 61st Naval Infantry Brigade and Baltic Fleet's 336th Naval Infantry Brigade in Kaliningrad from a few days ago. 162/

Interestingly, Zvezda is reporting the active phase of Zapad 2021 ended today even though it was expected to go until the 16th. Typically Putin watches the action at the end. I wonder if the greater preparatory exercises replaced the first phase. 163/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191317…

And here is the footage of the Iskander-M launching an R-500 cruise missile at the Luzhsky training ground in Leningrad at an enemy command post. 164/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191321…

Full video of the Iskander-M R-500 cruise missile launch from the Luzhsky training ground in Leningrad, the same location where they launched an Iskander-M R-500 from Zapad 2017. 165/

Another thing to note, Zapad 2017 involved a Yars ICBM test right before the exercise kicked off and at the end (possibly as a war termination event). Thus far, I haven't seen any strategic weapons' tests. 166/

Four Iskander-M systems also conditionally destroyed important enemy targets, including enemy command posts, at the Mulino training area with both R-500 cruise missiles and 9M723 quasi-ballistic missiles. 167/
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Video of an Orion/Inokhodets UCAV operating over the Mulino training area today in Nizhny Novgorod. I believe this is the first annual strategic exercise in which UCAVs have dropped munitions. 168/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

At the Brestky training area in Belarus, Russian motorized riflemen with BMP-2 conducted a river crossing across the Mukhavets river on the enemy's flank in an unexpected direction that blocked the enemy's escape route. 169/
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Video of engineers building a pontoon bridge across the Klyazma River in Vladimir to permit motorized rifle units to cross the river, and presumably as part of a counterattack. 170/

Video of the river crossing episode at the Brestky training area. 171/

Ok, now onto the sight of the main action of Zapad 2021 in Russia at the Mulino training area. President Putin arrived, as he always does for the main day of the annual strategic exercise. As with Zapad 2017, Lukashenko and Putin watched separately. 172/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191315…

Photos of Putin arriving and watching the exercise alongside Gerasimov, Shoigu, and Bulgakov. 173/
kremlin.ru/events/preside…

Putin, Gerasimov, Shoigu, Bulgakov, and Krivoruchko watching the main stage of Zapad 2021 in Mulino. The exercise involved a helicopter air assault operation, the new BMP B-19 IFV (BMP-3 chassis) with an Epocha turret and 57mm cannon, and Uran-9 UGVs. 174/
kremlin.ru/events/preside…

Video of Uran-9 and Nerekhta UGVs in the defense alongside a B-19 IFV launching Kornet ATGMs. 175/
t.me/rbc_news/35130

Photos of Uran-9 and Uran-6 UGVs and a B-19 BMP. The Uran-9 were used as part of Russian forces maneuver defense and engaged enemy armor and manpower with Ataka ATGM and its 30mm cannon. 176/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…
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It sounds as though the Uran-9 were used to occupy supporting defensive positions and engage enemy targets before manned vehicles as part of their defensive scheme of manuever. 177/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…

A camouflaged Iskander-M system as part of Zapad 2021. 178/
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At the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area, Russian EW units with R-934BVM Borisoglebsk-2, R-330Zh Zhitel, and R-378BVM EW systems to disrupt the advancing enemy's comms. 179/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191363…

Elements from the Northern Fleet's 200th Arctic Motorized Rifle Brigade repelled an attack on the Kola Peninsula with T-80BVM tanks, 2S1 and 2S3 howitzers, MT-LB, Tunguska and Strela-10 SHORAD, UAVs, Su-24 bombers, BM-21 Grad MLRS, and EW. 180/

Some close-range direct fire from a BM-21 Grad MLRS. 181/

More photos of the B-19 BMP with an Epocha turret, 57mm cannon, and Kornet ATGM at the Mulino training area. 182/
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That BTG from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division that conducted a night jump a few days ago conducted a maneuver defense live-fire exercise at the Strugi Krasnye training area against 1,5k fighters from an illegal armed group. 183/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

The equipment included BMD-4M, BTR-D (some with ZU-23-2), Verba MANPADS, T-72B3 tanks, 2S25 Sprut tank killers, and BTR-82A vehicles. They deliberately pulled back from primary positions to draw the enemy into an ambush and then counterattacked. 184/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

The Russian MoD said that 12 Msta-S artillery battalions with more than 140 howitzers took part in the exercise in Mulino and targeted enemy artillery, armored vehicles, and manpower. 185/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…

As they did at the Obuz-Lesnovsky range, Russian engineers employed a fire shaft 1.5 km-long in an anti-tank ditch to prevent the enemy from deploying its reserves. The reserves that weren't destroyed by the fire shaft were targeted by artillery. 186/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…

The scenario involved a lesson from Syria, the joint forces had to counter SVBIEDs and technicals with HMGs, SPG-9, and ATGMs that were used by the enemy to try to penetrate their defenses. 187/
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The Russian MoD said that engineers set up a decoy tank battalion defensive position and decoy Buk and S-300 air defense battalions, presumably by the 45th Engineer-Camouflage Regiment. Photos from a different exercise. 188/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…

To stop the advancing enemy reserves, Zemledeliye minelayers set up a minefield (they can set up a 600x200m minefield at a distance of up to 15km) which they detonated simultaneously with a barrage from 10 TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS. 189/
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Video of those 10 TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS launching a salvo and Zemledeliye minelayers deploying a minefield at distance to prevent the advance of the enemy's reserves. 190/
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tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

A summary of today's activities at the Mulino training area, which involved troops from Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Russia. 191/
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Screenshots of the Western Military District's 45th High-Power Artillery Brigade's 2S4 Tyulpan 240-mm self-propelled mortars and 2S7M Malka 203-mm self-propelled guns providing fire support at the Mulino training area. 192/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

Another video of Uran-9 and Nerekhta UGVs engaging enemy targets alongside a B-19 BMP-3 and an Orion UCAV overhead. 193/

More footage of the B-19 BMP on a BMP-3 chassis with an Epokha turret and 57mm cannon. 194/

>60 aircraft provided air support in Mulino, including Su-24MR, 12 Su-25SM3, 16 Su-30SM, 6 Su-35 fighters (escorted Tu-22M3), 16 Su-34, 6 Su-24, and 6 Tu-22M3, which bombed underground command posts. Su-24MR conducted recon and Su-35 conducted DCA. 195/
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Four flights of 4 Su-34 bombers struck significant targets and armored columns with 24 500 kg HE bombs, and the Su-25SM3 squadron tracked an targeted ground targets with SOLT-25 electronic-optical guidance systems. 196/
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As always, the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade conducted a helicopter air assault operation (presumably battalion-level) with 32 Mi-8AMTSh helicopters and 14 Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters. They also carried Sarmat-2 vehicles and D-30 howitzers. 197/
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The air assault force was deployed to prevent the advance and deployment of the enemy's reserves. The force then held a defensive perimeter against the enemy's advance. 198/
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Video of the VDV's 31st Air Assault Brigade conducting a helicopter air assault operation with 32 Mi-8AMTSh helicopters carrying Sarmat-2 and 14 Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters. And a VDV BTG with BMD-4M vehicles dropping from Il-76 transport aircraft. 199/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191318…

A battalion from the VDV’s 137th Airborne Regiment with >30 BMD-4M and 300 paratroopers (20 from India) was dropped from 22 Il-76 aircraft at the Zhitovo LZ with cover from Su-35S. They blocked the enemy's reserves and disrupted the enemy's rear. 200/
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Russian and Kazakh paratroopers also conducted an air assault operation in urban environment with 300 paratroopers, 10 helicopters, D-30 howitzers and 82-mm Sani mortars, two Kornet ATGM teams, and four Sarmat- 2 light vehicles. 201/
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Photos of that Russian-Kazakh paratrooper air assault operation with Sarmat-2 vehicles in an urban environment. 202/
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Video of the air assault exercise with 300 Russian and Kazakh paratroopers at Mulino with 10 Mi-8AMTSh helicopters, 4 Sarmat-2 vehicles, 82mm Podnos mortars, a D-30 howitzer battery, AGS-17 and Kord HMG, and Kornet ATGM teams to seize an urban settlement in the enemy's rear. 203/

Flawless victory. 204/
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Not sure I'd want to be the point men in this team. 205/

Looks like the MOUT town has its own sewer system. Screenshots of the Sarmat-2 vehicles with HMGs and paratroopers exiting a Mi-8AMTSh helicopter. 206/

After taking the settlement, the Kazkah and Russian paratroopers held off a counterattack with Kornet ATGMs, Kord heavy machine guns, RPG-7, and AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers operated from the buildings' roofs and Podnos 82mm mortars. 207/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191414…

Video of the Forpost-R UCAV dropping two KAB-20 20kg munitions at the Mulino training area yesterday in support of ground forces. 208/
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Russian Su-34 bombers dropped 250kg aerial bombs on simulated enemy command posts at the Luzhsky training area in Leningrad. The strikes were preceded by reconnaissance from Su-24MR aircraft. 209/
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Simulated terrorists seized the part of the naval base in Baltiysk. PDSS naval spetsnaz landed were inserted via Raptor and BK-16 fast-attack craft and naval infantrymen with BTR-82 via the Midshipman Lermontov Project 21820 Dyguon landing craft. 210/
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Video of the Baltic Fleet's Midshipman Lermontov Project 21820 Dyguon landing craft landing BTR-82 from the Baltic Fleet's 336th Naval Infantry Brigade. Ka-29 and Ka-27 helicopters also supported the operation. 211/
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More photos of Uran-9 UGVs during the maneuvers at the Mulino training area. 212/
Photos: Андрей Зинчук
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More photos of at least three B-19 BMP, as well as UR-77, Strela-10, and Uran-9 UGVs. 213/
Photos: Алексей Куденко
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Another video of the VDV's role at yesterday's action in Mulino, including a battalion-level air assault operation, an urban assault, and VDV BMD-4M vehicles helping stop the enemy's advance alongside Belarusian T-72B3 tanks. 214/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191411…

As part of Zapad, a unified air defense system was created at the Ashuluk training area in Astrakhan, including S-400 and Pantsir-S air defense systems. 215/
eng.mil.ru/en/mission/pra…
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191425…

As part of the scenario, S-400 and Pantsir-S systems repelled a large simulated air and missile strike with more than 60 aerial targets at the Ashuluk training area. 216/
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Video of Pantsir-S air defense systems engaging targets alongside S-400 at the Ashuluk training area. 217/

Photos of Mi-24, Ka-52, and Mi-8AMTSh helicopters that took part in the exercise at Mulino yesterday. 218/
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Video of military police with a Patrul MRAP detaining a group of saboteurs who tried to infiltrate the military camp at the Mulino training area and scout CP locations. 219/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191414…

Paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division from 20 Il-76 aircraft conducted an (presumably battalion size) airborne operation with BMD-2/BTR-D vehicles near Brest. They will seize a bridgehead, hold bridges, and support a tank offensive. 220/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191413…

They air dropped BMD-2, BTR-D, and Nona 120mm mortars. Notably, the Brestky training area is right next to the border with Poland. 221/

If you're wondering how close this Russian battalion-size airborne operation occurred to the border with Poland, that's the Bug River in this screenshot, which is also the border between Poland and Belarus. 222/

More photos from that Russian-Belarusian airborne operation at the Brestky training area next to the border with Poland. 223/
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More photos from that airborne operation at the Brestky training area with more than 350 Russian and Belarusian paratroopers and 30 vehicles and 20 Il-76MD transport aircraft. 224/
vayar.mil.by/news/140015/

More photos from that airborne operation at the Brestky training area with more than 350 Russian and Belarusian paratroopers and 30 vehicles and 20 Il-76MD transport aircraft. 225/
vayar.mil.by/news/140015/

Photos of paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division before today's jump in the Brestky training area in Belarus, which involved Il-76MD aircraft from two different VTA regiments. 226/
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During yesterday's action at the Mulino training area, BMPT tank support combat vehicles, along with Inokhodets and Forpost-R UCAVs, supported Russian motorized rifle units and Belarusian and Armenian forces counterattack. 227/
tass.com/defense/1337289
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Video from the Obuz-Lesnovsky yesterday, including Tornado-G MLRS, Msta-S, Uragan MLRS, Strela-10, T-80U tanks, and BMD-4M airborne armored vehicles. A mixed group of air defense, EW, and RKhBZ (aerosol) units were used to counter enemy UAVs. 228/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191420…

Video of foreign military observers at the Obuz-Lesnovsky yesterday in Belarus. The Belarusian MoD said observers from 18 countries attended the exercise. 229/
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tvzvezda.ru/news/202191420…

Deleted my previous tweet. There were foreign observers at the Mulino training area in Nizhny Novgorod (h/t @gizzojegsaa). 230/
Photos: Алексей Куденко
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Photos of the map of the scheme of maneuver at the Mulino training area, including the locations of the foreign troops. 231/
Photos: Алексей Куденко
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Video of another exercise with motorized rifle troops from one of the Northern Fleet's Arctic brigades conducting a maneuver defense with 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers, MT-LB, Kornet ATGM, Podnos mortars, and Igla MANPADS. 232/

The Russian MoD said a Tu-95MS strategic bomber conducted a flight over the Western Military District and practiced breaking into the enemy's air defense coverage and striking missile defense targets amidst enemy EW use. 233/
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The Russian MoD said R-330Zh Zhitel and Silok-01 EW systems were used at the Mulino training area. The Silok-01 were used to protect command posts from COTs UAVs carrying munitions. 234/
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>100 EW personnel at the Khmelevka range in Kaliningrad with Leer-3, Zhitel, Borisoglebsk-1, and Lava-RP systems were used to collect intelligence from enemy radio comms, interfered with enemy comms and missile guidance systems, and prevented RCIEDs. 235/
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After landing in the LZ at the Brestky training area, the 400 Russian and Belarusian paratroopers set up a defensive position and prevented the enemy from crossing a river (presumably, the Bug River) on three bridges. 236/
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~1k military personnel and more than 50 vehicles, including 120mm Nona mortars, BTR-82A, and MT-LB, from the Baltic Fleet's 336th Naval Infantry Brigade conducted a live-fire counter-amphibious exercise at the Khmelevka training ground in Kaliningrad. 237/
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Baltic Fleet Su-24 bombers and Su-30SM fighters bombed simulated enemy command posts, equipment, and manpower at the Dobrovolsky air range in Kaliningrad. 238/
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Photos from Mulino yesterday of a Russian and Belarusian Uran-9 UGVs, T-72B3 and T-72B tanks, BMP-2, BMD-4M, and UR-77 MICLICs. 239/
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More photos from yesterday's action at the Mulino training area. 240/
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300 paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division and 12 BMD-2KU were air dropped by 10 Il-76MD transport aircraft at the Pravdinsky range in Kaliningrad. Su-27 fighters cleared the airspace and Su-24 bombers struck targets before the jump. 241/
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Photos of Ka-52 and Mi-24 helicopters, TOS-1A MLRS, and T-72B tanks at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, presumably from two days ago. 242/
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Video of some of the aviation component of Zapad 2021. 243/
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Video of paratroopers from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division and 12 BMD-2KU air dropped by 10 Il-76MD aircraft at the Pravdinsky range in Kaliningrad. The paratroopers destroyed enemy command posts, seized a bridgehead and defended it from attacks. 244/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191553…

More from Pravdinsky. Su-27 fighters cleared the air space of enemy fighters and Su-24 bombers bombed targets in support of the airborne operation. The video also shows T-72B3 tanks, BMP-2, BTR-82A, and engineers presumably from the newly reconstituted 18th MRD and Mi-24. 245/

Photos of Zemledeliye minelayers at the Mulino training area. They can set up a minefield 600x200 meters at a distance of up to 15km. 246/
vk.com/milinfolive?w=…

T-72B3M tanks at the Mulino training area. 247/
Photos: Андрей Зинчук
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More photos of the Zemledeliye minelayers at the Mulino training area. 248/
Photos: Андрей Зинчук
vk.com/milinfolive?w=…

Video of the Northern Fleet's Pyotr Velikiy Project 1144 and Marshal Ustinov Project 1164 missile cruisers launching Granit and Vulcan anti-ship missiles at a simulated enemy amphibious assault force in the Barents Sea. 249/
function.mil.ru/news_page/coun…

As part of the Northern Fleet's large exercise, Bal coastal defense systems struck surface ship targets after receiving the coordinates from the Admiral Ushakov and Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov ships. 250/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191512…
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Another video of yesterday's operation with 400 paratroopers and 39 vehicles from Belarus and Russia's 76th Air Assault Division at the Brestky range in Belarus. They prevented the enemy from crossing a river over three bridges after they landed. 251/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191555…

Video of Northern Fleet PDSS naval spetsnaz preventing enemy frogmen from sabotaging Russian ships and submarines in the Kola Bay. 252/
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tvzvezda.ru/news/202191511…

One of the Northern Fleet's Arctic motorized rifle brigades along with units from the VDV conducted a counter-amphibious landing live-fire exercise on the Sredny peninsula with T-80BVM tanks, 2S1, Kornet ATGM, and MT-LB. 253/
tvzvezda.ru/news/202191511…
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The 200th Arctic Motorized Rifle Brigade conducted a maneuver defense live-fire exercise with >1k servicemen and >150 vehicles, including the use of 2S1/BM-21/mortar fire to stop the advancing enemy. They also engaged simulated attack helicopters. 254/
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A 100mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun in action. 255/
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Mostly old footage from the Obuz-Lesnovsky training area in Belarus where Russian and Belarusian 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S5 Giatsint-S, Msta-S, BM-21/Tornado-G, and Uragan artillery and MLRS struck >200 targets in >1k salvos. 256/

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Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov gave his description of the exercise during the closing ceremony. Notably, he says the actions in the Northern Sea was part of Zapad 2021. 257/
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More from Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov's speech. 258/

Izvestia reports that the Russian MoD has decided to purchase more Nerekhta UGVs, that were employed at the Mulino training area as part of Zapad 2021, for defending strategic facilities, possibly including the RVSN. 259/
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Photos of units from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division at the Strugi Krasnye training area with BMD-4M, T-72B3 tanks, Mi-8AMTSh helicopters, Igla and Verba MANAPDS, Strela-10MN SHORAD, ZU-23-2 cannons, and UR-83P APOBS. 260/
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When you have to bless people over the radio. 261/

Photos from the Strugi Krasnye training area, which is shown in the top left corner of the map, showing the scheme of maneuver. 262/
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Russian military police alongside servicemen from Belarus' military commandant's office thwarted an attack by conditional saboteurs and evaced wounded servicemen with a Linza MRAP. 263/
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During the maneuvers at the Mulino training area, members of the VDV's 45th Spetsnaz Brigade helped conduct reconnaissance and direct air strikes. 264/
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One of the Su-34 bombers that took part in Zapad may have been equipped with the new Sych reconnaissance pod designed for the modernized Su-34 NVO. 265/
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Photos from the closing ceremony of the Zapad 2021 exercise at the Mulino training area. 266/
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Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky and Brestsky ranges in Belarus have begun to return to their permanent bases in Russia. 267/
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Admiral Alexander Moiseev said the Northern Fleet's troops and ships that took part in the recent exercises have begun to return to their bases. 268/
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Possibly, a trojan cow situation here. 269/
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