DUSHANBE, December 5, 2008, Asia-Plus – Russia''s Defense Ministry plans to deploy special mountain units at military bases in Tajikistan, Armenia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as in the Urals and Far East, a ministry official said on Thursday.

"All military contingents deployed in mountainous regions will have battalion-level units specially trained for mountain warfare," said Colonel Vladimir Chabanov, deputy head of the Ground Forces combat training department at the Russian Defense Ministry.

 Chabanov said the newly formed units would be equipped with special weaponry and equipment developed for combat at high altitudes in mountainous areas, including professional mountain-climbing equipment.

Russia currently deploys a military base in Tajikistan, which hosts the 5,000-strong 201st Motorized Rifle Division.