AKIPRESS.COM – Russia’s Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile systems have been deployed to Tajikistan for the first time for the Dushanbe-Anti-Terror 2017 drills of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), TASS news agency reports with reference to the Central Military District Troops Commander Colonel-General Vladimir Zarudnitsky.

“The Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile systems of the Totskaya missile brigade have been deployed to Tajikistan for the first time for the joint Dushanbe-Anti-Terror 2017 drills,” Zarudnitsky said. The An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces was involved in the transportation effort.

During the drills, the military will fire a missile at a camp of simulated terrorists based in the mountains, Zarudnitsky said.

Russia has already deployed to the Central Asian country Sukhoi Su-24M (NATO reporting name: Fencer) frontline bombers from the Shagol airbase in the southern Urals, and Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters from Novosibirsk.

The Dushanbe Anti-Terror 2017 is the first exercise conducted by the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center and involving the armed forces of CIS member-states. The active phase of drills is due to begin in Tajikistan on May 30.