The Russian Defence Ministry has released dramatic training footage of the finale of the Friendship 2020 joint counterterrorism exercises in Pabbi, northern Pakistan.
The footage shows Pakistani Cobra helicopters firing machineguns and rockets at a simulated ‘terrorist base’, with special ops troops then seen fast-rope repelling from Mi-8 transport helicopters and proceeding to surround the facility.
#Footage Finale of the #Friendship2020 Russian-Pakistani exercise at NCTC #Pabbi: the 2 countries' special troops reinforced with vehicles and helicopters assaulted and destroyed a conditional terrorist base https://t.co/QMgF3kL15h #SouthernMD #RussiaPakistan @RusEmbPakistan pic.twitter.com/tbDh6hKkNq
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) November 20, 2020
Troops from both countries then blast through the base’s gates, clearing rooms, deploying flashbangs and firing live rounds at simulated targets. Footage also shows a trooper carrying an ‘injured’ comrade to safety.
The troops proceed to fire on enemy forces outside the facility using both assault rifles and sidearms, and blowing up hard points with grenades.
Russian and Pakistani troops spent nearly two weeks training as part of the Friendship 2020 drills, which took place at the Pakistani Army’s Tarbela Special Operations Training Ground and the National Counterterrorism Center in Pabbi. This year’s drills were the fifth consecutive year that the two countries’ forces have conducted the Friendship-series counter-terrorism training, and the third time that the exercises have been held in Pakistan, with previous installments also held in Russia.
Russian forces were represented by over 70 troops from the Southern Military District’s 49th combined arms army, ordinarily based in Stavropol, southern Russia.
