Russian and Egyptian paratroopers performed group parachute jumps on Tuesday before the final stage of the Friendship defenders - 2021 exercise near Cairo. The servicemen practiced a joint landing from Russian Air Force Il-76MD aircraft about 60 kilometers from the Egyptian capital.
The exercises of the Russian airborne troops and the Egyptian paratroopers began a week ago at a base near the town of Inshas. According to the Russian defense ministry, more than 100 servicemen of the Caucasus Cossack airborne assault regiment of the Novorossiysk airborne assault mountain compound, four Il-76MD military transport aviation and equipment consisting of six airborne combat vehicles and two support unit vehicles are taking part in the maneuvers from the Russian side. More than 400 Egyptian servicemen, C-130 Hercules aircraft and heavy military transport Chinook helicopters of the Egyptian Air Force are also involved.
The paratroopers have already practiced a joint landing from helicopters, practiced interaction in the preparation and conduct of combat operations during the destruction of illegal armed groups in the desert terrain. On Tuesday morning, two IL-76MDs, together with Egyptian C-130s and C-295s, flew from Cairo-Vostochny airbase near the capital's international airport and delivered the soldiers to the landing site. On October 27, they and two other Russian transport vehicles with equipment will take part in the main phase of the exercise; there will be a demonstration landing in Inshas.
Friendship defenders - 2021 is held for the fifth time and will end on October 29. Previously, paratroopers from Russia and Egypt practiced joint actions in Russian and Egyptian cities. In 2019, soldiers of special operations forces of the armed forces of Belarus took part in the exercise.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS