Chinese soldiers leave for joint drills in Russia

Chinese troops get ready to leave for Russia to join 20-day joint anti-terrorism drills held by both parties, in Shenyang, Liaoning province, July 23, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

SHENYANG - China on Saturday began to send military personnel and armaments to Russia, where they will join 20-day joint anti-terrorism drills held by both parties.

The transfer of Chinese troops for the exercise will be completed by August 2, according to Zhang Yan, deputy commander of the 646 Chinese military personnel participating in the drill.

The Chinese officers and soldiers will be sent to the drill venue in Russia's Chebarkul training range in seven batches, with four traveling by air and three by train, Zhang said.

With 72 people on board, two Mi-171 military transport helicopters and four Z-9 armed helicopters from the Chinese side took off from an airport in Hailar in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Saturday morning.

They will travel more than 5,000 km and are expected to arrive at the drill venue in five days.

In addition, 119 officers and soldiers set out by train at noon on Saturday from the border city of Manchuri in Inner Mongolia.

According to the schedule, five fighter-bomber JH-7A jets will set out from an airport in Urumqi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on July 31 and are expected to arrive in Russia the same day.

The exercises, dubbed "Peace Mission 2013" and scheduled to run from July 27 to August 15, will be carried out in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains region.

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