The Vietnamese tank team performed will to finishing in second in the final round of Group 2 of the International Army Games in Russia. — VNA/VNS Photo
HÀ NỘI — With a time of 2 hours 25 minutes and 3 seconds, the Vietnamese tank team placed second in tank biathlon in the final round of Group 2 of the international Army Games 2019 in Russia.
The team from the Việt Nam People’s Army faced off against teams from Uganda, Uzbekistan and Cuba in the tank biathlon event which included skills of shooting, overcoming obstacles and racing.
The contest reportedly unfolded in dramatic fashion at Alabino training ground in the outskirts of Moscow.
Three shifts of tank operators took turns over twelve rounds, completing a course full of obstacles and shooting at targets from distances between 600 and 1,800 metres.
The Vietnamese team posted a strong time and shot down nine out of 24 targets to rank second.
The team from Uzbekistan completed the event in 2 hours 17 minutes and 3 seconds, shooting down 13 out of 24 targets and placing first.
All three Vietnamese crews performed well. They hit a maximum speed of 73km per hour, exceeding the speed of 70km per hour they hit in the semi-final round.
According to the coaching team the crews tried their best and managed to calmly and quickly fix mechanical issues with the tank so they could continue on.
The Cuban team placed third with a time of 2 hours 29 minutes and 53 seconds, shooting down 15 of the targets.
Uganda finished fourth in 2 hours 31 minutes and 55 seconds and shot down five targets.
This is the second year Việt Nam has sent a delegation to the event. The country’s 127 officers and soldiers are participating in the tank biathlon, safe route, safe environment, sniper frontier, military medical relay race, field kitchen and emergency area events.
On August 11, Việt Nam’s tank team beat Tajikistan, Myanmar and Uganda, ranking first in the semi-final round for Group 2.
The Vietnamese team finished in 2 hours 39 minutes and 34 seconds to secure a berth in the final round.
Vietnamese officers and soldiers were praised by Russian military experts for their performance in the event.
According to Russian weekly newspaper Argumenty i Fakty (Arguments and Facts), Colonel Vladislav Veryasov from the Russian Armed Forces’ Engineer Arm, who was also a main referee, was impressed by the Vietnamese team's skills and fighting spirit.
Talking with broadcaster STV from Belarus, Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus Colonel Vladimir Bely, another main referee, said that although the Vietnamese sniper team was participating in the games for the first time they had achieved good results. The Vietnamese military medical team was also praised for its quick thinking by Russia’s Sputnik newspaper.
During this year’s Army Games, more than 5,000 members of the military from 39 countries will compete in more than 30 events held in host Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, India, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.
Việt Nam is attending the games as part of the diplomatic defence activities to mark the Việt Nam-Russia and Russia-Việt Nam Year (2019-2020). — VNS