A three-day tactical exercise, dubbed Shield 2016, concluded in Tajikistan today, according to the press center of Russia’s Central Military District.

The exercise reportedly involved more than 10,000 military personnel of Russia and Tajikistan, along with armored vehicles, ground-attack aircraft and combat helicopters.

Participating units completed a forced march to the Lohur training ground, some 40 kilometers southwest of Dushanbe.    

The purpose of the exercise was to rehearse coordination and interaction in combat operations against subversive and terrorist groups intruding into Tajikistan.

A special attention was given to enhancement of practice of carrying out joint operations with subunits of the defense ministry, border troops and internal troops of Tajikistan. 

The three-day exercise reportedly closed on November 29 with a final phase at the Lohur training grounds featuring live-fire missions.  

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.