Russia to send over 1,000 troops to anti-terror drills in Kazakhstan

More than 1,000 Russian troops will take part in a series of anti-terror drills in Kazakhstan on September 9-25, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

In all, 5,000 troops from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states will take part in the exercises, codenamed Peace Mission 2010.

Each of the SCO member states (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) will contribute at least one operational-tactical group.

"Over 1,000 troops, some 130 armored vehicles (tanks, self-propelled artillery systems and infantry fighting vehicles), more than 100 trucks, and over 10 airplanes and helicopters will take part on the Russian side," the ministry said.

The drills will test the interoperability of the SCO armed forces in rendering assistance to a member state involved in an internal armed conflict or subjected to a mass terrorist attack.