AKIPRESS.COM - A joint Russian-Uzbek tactical exercise started on Tuesday at the Forish military range in the mountains of Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, Sputnik reported citing its sources from the Russian Embassy in Tashkent.

"The exercise takes place within the framework of the agreements reached during a state visit of the Uzbek president to Moscow on April 4-5, 2017," sources said. According to the embassy, on Monday a military-transport aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry airlifted Russian military to the Uzbek capital.

The Russian team includes an operational group from the headquarters of the Central Military District and units of a mountain motorized rifle brigade stationed in Russia’s Tuva republic.

The military of the two countries are expected to simulate a joint operation to fight terrorist groups and will also train practical skills of blocking and destroying illegal armed groups in the mountains.

The Forish ground is located 250 kilometers from Tashkent on the northern slopes of the Nuratau ridge at an altitude of 2,169 meters above sea level. The joint military drills are taking place after a 12-year break. The previous exercise bringing together Russian and Uzbek military was held there in 2005.