RUSSIA-MILITARY DRILLS-BORDER Russian military carries out drills near shared border with Ukraine

Record ID: 859228

  • Title: RUSSIA-MILITARY DRILLS-BORDER Russian military carries out drills near shared border with Ukraine
  • Date: 31st October 2014
  • Summary: ROSTOV REGION, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 31, 2014) (REUTERS) MASKED SERVICEMEN STANDING IN ROW SOLDIER WITH ASSAULT RIFLE AIMING AS OTHER SOLDIERS LOOK ON SOLDIER KNEELING AND AIMING WEAPON SOLDIERS TAKING ITEMS OUT OF BOX SOLDIER OPENING FIRE POSITIONED IN A TRENCH, CRAWLING OUT AND FIRING AGAIN SOLDIER HOLDING STRAPS OF PARACHUTE, TWO SOLDIERS SPREADING OUT PARACHUTE SOLDIER PULLING STRAPS OF PARACHUTE ARMED MEN WITH PARACHUTES WALKING IN LINE SOLDIERS HANGING FROM PARACHUTES DURING DRILLS SOLDIER STRAPPED TO PARACHUTE HOLDING ASSAULT RIFLE SOLDIERS STRAPPED TO PARACHUTE FIRING ASSAULT RIFLES MILITARY VEHICLE DRIVING BY / MAN BEHIND MACHINE GUN ON ROOF CLOSE OF SOLDIER WEARING HELMET AND ORANGE SAFETY GOGGLES MILITARY CARS DRIVING ALONG ROAD / SOLDIER JUMPS OUT OF VEHICLE OPENS FIRE SOLDIER WIELDING MACHINE GUN SOLDIER WITH ASSAULT RIFLE RUNNING PAST CAR SOLDIER RUNNING DURING TRAINING EXERCISE MASKED SOLDIER LYING ON GROUND WITH SMOKE GRENADE ON HIS SIDE LINE OF SOLDIERS WALKING AMONG TREES CAR WITH SOLDIER BEHIND MACHINE GUN DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 15th November 2014 12:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAJPZHVFNHSPR1SZ7TAH02DSNW
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  • Story Text: Russia's military staged training exercises on Friday (October 31) in the Rostov region, where the country shares a border with Ukraine.
    The drills are largely seen as a show of force in the standoff with Kiev and the West over ongoing conflict in the east of Ukraine between government forces and pro-Russian separatists.
    Officials said contract servicemen and conscripts in full uniform took part in the exercises, which saw them carry assault rifles and shoot at targets, as well as staging on-land paratrooper scenarios.
    Grey smoke from smoke grenades rose over a field in the training site and the sound of firing rang out as a conflict situation was acted out. Soldiers stationed atop military jeeps could be seen taking part in the exercises.
    Russian armed forces have carried out a series of drills on the Ukrainian border in recent months, since the beginning of the standoff between rebels and the Kiev army in April.
    In its turn Ukraine has housed military exercises of the NATO members in the west of the country, in show of support by the alliance for Kiev.
    The government in Kiev and its Western backers blame Russia for fanning the separatist unrest, including by arming the rebels and reinforcing them with Russian troops. The West has imposed sanctions on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine.
    Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March, denies playing any role in the armed conflict, though it supports the east Ukrainian separatists' claims that the central government in Kiev has been mistreating their Russian-speaking region.
    Over 3,700 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow rebels seek union with Russia. A ceasefire has been in force since September but there have been isolated flareups of fighting.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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