RUSSIA TO DEPLOY ALPINE UNITS AT ITS MILITARY BASES ABROAD

RIA Novosti
16:57 | 04/ 12/ 2008

MOSCOW, December 4 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Defense Ministry plans
to deploy special mountain units at military bases in S. Ossetia,
Abkhazia, Armenia and Tajikistan, as well as in the Urals and Far East,
a ministry official said on Thursday.

"All military contingents deployed in mountainous regions will
have battalion-level units specially trained for mountain warfare,"
said Col.

Vladimir Chabanov, deputy head of the Ground Forces combat training
department at the Russian Defense Ministry.

Russia has already deployed two mountain brigades in the North Caucasus
republics of Daghestan and Karachayevo-Circassia. They are manned by
contract soldiers and total about 4,500 personnel.

Chabanov said the newly formed units would be equipped with special
weaponry and equipment developed for combat at high altitudes in
mountainous areas, including professional mountain-climbing equipment.

Russia currently deploys a military base in Gyumri, Armenia and
a military base near the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, which hosts the
5,000-strong 201st Motorized Rifle Division.

Moscow is also planning to open one base in Gudauta, in the west of
Abkhazia, and another in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia,
following a five-day war with Georgia over South Ossetia in August.