DUSHANBE, February 14, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A five-day military exercise for servicemen of the Russian military base in Tajikistan was launched at the Lohour training grounds, some 20 kilometers southwest of Dushanbe, on February 12, according to the headquarters of the Russian military base in Dushanbe.

“It is the planed drill aimed at raising fighting capacity of the base military personnel,” the source said, noting that the exercise, involving some 800 military personnel along with 100 armored vehicles, includes simulated combat maneuvers in both mountain and desert terrain.      

One of units from the rapid-deployment force of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is also participating in the drill.