Russian, French Paratroops to Swap VisitsRussian and French airborne troops will exchange visits between August 31 and September 10, as part of the program of expanding the contacts and cooperation between the two countries' armies, a top Russian military official said in Moscow Saturday.An 80-strong company of the Russian 106th Tula Division will visit France, and an 80-member French company will visit the Russian 106th Division's base during this period, Col. Gen. Georgy Shpak, commander of the Russian airborne forces, told reporters. The French troops will do parachute practice in Russia, jumping off Russia- made An-2 and Ilyushin Il-76 planes, take fire training and join Russian paratroops in a two-day joint tactical exercise that involves field firing, he said. The Russian visitors will have the same program at a training center in France. |
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