Russian troops conduct rescue exercise in the Arctic

Russian paratroopers, along with units of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), are carrying out a rescue drill in the Arctic region simply using skis and dog-driven sleds, the Defense Ministry said Friday.

"The paratroopers practicing a humanitarian search-and-rescue mission are riding dog sleighs heading to the North Pole," the Interfax news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

According to the ministry, the troops cover up to 80 km during a 10-hour march each day.

This is the first time ever for troops of Russia and the CSTO to conduct a humanitarian rescue drill in the near-polar region without employing any mechanical vehicles.

Russian airborne troops along with the units of the rapid response force of the CSTO landed on the Arctic Ocean ice cap earlier this week for exercises aimed at testing the troops' survival ability in extreme environment.

On Tuesday, Russian paratroopers successfully landed on a drifting ice block in the Arctic Ocean for the first time, despite adverse weather conditions and poor visibility.

Founded in May 1992 under the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Russia-led CSTO is a political-military alliance that also comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Endi