06th October 2021 20:00:14 Hours
Members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces were among participants in the annual strategic-level 'Exercise Zapad (West) 2021' of the Russian Armed Forces, held in Russia during 10- 17 September 2021 with the participation of military personnel from 17 countries, either as participants or observers.
The Exercise that trains troops to undertake joint operations in conventional battlefield scenarios mainly focused on protecting the Western part of Russia in collaboration with troops of the Belarus Army and was aimed to enhance military and strategic ties amongst participating nations. Military personnel of India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Mongolia, Serbia and Russia joined the Exercise as participants while tri service personnel of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan, Vietnam and Malaysia took part as observers.
The Sri Lankan troops, composed of 14 Officers were tasked by the Russian Army to act as Reserve for the Indian Combat Group in the Exercise and Sri Lankan troops towards the final leg of the Exercise were tasked to operate as Anti Air Borne task force.
The Exercise was staged in the Mulino Training Ground near Nizhniy Novogogard region in Russia in an open terrain.
The Russian Army during the Exercise used T 72B3M/T72 B4 main battle tanks and BTR MDM Rkushka Armoured Personnel Vehicles (APCs) and several new pieces of other modernized equipment along with their Armoured Brigade troops, encompassing all facets of conventional operations, including Armour, Mechanized, Airborne, Heliborne, Counter-terrorism, combat conditioning and firing conduct with ground forces and the Air Force.
The Sri Lankan contingent to the international Exercise included Major General A.P.I Fernando, Brigadier P.N Wijesiriwardena, Colonel S.A Hettige, Colonel L.R Wijeratne, Colonel S.W.R Prasanna, Colonel K.G.C.M.H Gamlath, Colonel A.M.A Abeyawardana, Colonel H.T.W Vidyananda, Colonel T.M.F Kitchilan, Colonel N.D.P Gunatunga, Colonel M.R Razick, Colonel R.P.S Prasad, Lieutenant Colonel H.K.P Karunathilaka and Lieutenant Colonel L.N.U Liyanaarachchi.
