Russian Aerospace Forces to Deploy Paratroopers to Egypt for Drills

The Russian Aerospace Forces will conduct the first redeployment of paratroopers and military equipment to Egypt for participation in military exercises, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The deployment of paratroopers is scheduled for October 2016.

"For the first time, the Il-76 [NATO reporting name: Candid] of the military transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces… will transfer regiments of Russian paratroopers with weapons and military equipment to Africa. This will be the first mass redeployment of paratroopers to the region of arid climate in the Arab Republic of Egypt, which will take place within the framework of preparation for joint exercises," the ministry’s information and mass communication department told reporters.