Russian Eastern Military District and Lao People’s Armed Forces completed the Laros 2021 joint counter-terror exercise in the Primorsky Region in Russia’s Far East. The Laros-2021 joint Russian-Laotian exercise were held on the territory of Russia for the first time. The first Russian-Laotian joint exercises were held in Laos in 2019. Earlier, during the negotiations organized by the head of the Department of International Military Cooperation of the Eastern Military District, Colonel Ivan Taraev, the Russian and Lao sides agreed on the topic, timing and venue of the upcoming exercise, the procedure for medical and logistical support.
During the event, before the start of the active phase of the exercise, it is planned to perform live firing from small arms and grenade launchers, throwing grenades at a range, light diving training, driving tanks under water. In addition, combat shooting from tank weapons, driving combat vehicles over rough terrain will take place. The joint Russian-Laotian military exercise is aimed at combating international terrorism. During the exercise, the military personnel of the two countries on several ranges using various tactics of modern combat eliminate mock illegal armed groups.
Russia was represented in the exercise by armored units of the Eastern Military District’s combined arms army stationed in the Primorsky Region. The troops practiced joint measures in the fight against illegal armed formations. Overall, the joint exercise involved about 500 troops and around 100 items of military hardware, including Su-25 ground support aircraft, Su-24MR reconnaissance planes and Ka-52 attack helicopters of the Eastern Military District. The commanders that attended the ceremony commended the troops’ combat skills demonstrated during the exercises.
The Lao People’s Armed Forces (LPAF) is the armed forces of the Laos (officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic) and the institution of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, who are charged with protecting the country. The army of 29,100 is equipped with 30 main battle tanks. The army marine section, equipped with 16 patrol craft, has 600 personnel. Militia self-defence forces number approximately 100,000 organised for local defence. The small arms utilised mostly by the Laotian Army are the Soviet AKM assault rifle, PKM machine gun, Makarov PM pistol, and the RPD light machine gun.
