ROSTOV-ON-DON (TASS) — Over 1,000 Caspian Flotilla marines landed on an unequipped sea coast in large-scale force-on-force tactical drills, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District reported on Thursday.

BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier

(© Vadim Savitsky / Russian Defence Ministry Press Office / TASS)

In a statement, the press office declared:

The drills involve more than 1,000 servicemen of the Caspian Flotilla’s marine infantry, 20 ships, Serna amphibious assault boats and support craft, about 200 items of armament, military and special hardware, and also six Mi-8AMTSh Terminator helicopters from the 4^th Air Force and Air Defence Army of the Southern Military District.

These manoeuvres seem to be a very clear signal to the other countries bordering the Caspian Sea. Iran (and maybe also Azerbaijan) is very likely to be the target of a landing in the event of American intervention, a scenario close to the landing of the Soviets at the Port of Anzali in 1921.

Under the drills’ scenario, the troops performed a march on BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers from practice ranges in Dagestan to the area of forming columns and boarded amphibious assault boats.

After that, the boats landed the amphibious assault main forces. The crews of combat vehicles that rolled out from the amphibious assault boats negotiated water obstacles and barriers on cross-country terrain.

The marines seized a bridgehead on the coast and launched an operation to break through the enemy’s defence and eliminate its forces. The armoured personnel carriers provided fire support with small arms and grenade throwing against enemy positions. The artillery units fired Nona guns.

The company-level tactical drills will come to a close at the end of the week with the troops’ march to their permanent bases, the Southern Military District said.