Airborne troops are preparing for the operational landing in course of the Zapad 2017 strategic exercise of the Union State Armed Forces at the Luzhsky training range, Leningrad Region.

The paratroopers together with combat hardware hopped on the Il-76 cargo airplanes at the air field in the Pskov region to airlift and land on the training area.

Air defense units and jet fighters are to cover the ten cargo airplanes during the flight.

The 4,500 paratroopers and nine pieces of military hardware will be airdropped at a new limited platform behind mock enemy lines.

After landing, the blue berets will perform tasks to block maneuver illegal armed formational, raid behind enemy lines, eliminated most critical objects and command posts of the mock enemy.