DUSHANBE, July 22, 2016, Asia-Plus – The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan yesterday held combat readiness exercises involving the whole staff of the base, according to the Russian Central Military District press service.

The main objective of the drill was reportedly in rehearsing actions of orderly shifts, assembly of officers and soldiers, organization of interaction with the power-wielding structures of Tajikistan, etc.

The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan is Russia''s largest non-naval military facility outside the country.  It was officially opened in Tajikistan in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad.

A total of some 7,000 Russian troops are now stationed at two military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base - in Dushanbe and Qurghon Teppa, some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe.