10.08.2019.

Serbian Armed Forces drivers won third place at International Army Games

At the Military Rally, in one of the 32 disciplines at this year's International Army Games, the Serbian Armed Forces team shared the third place with the Belarusian team. The winner was the Russian Federation and PR China was the second.

The closing ceremony of the competition in the city of Kyzyl was also attended by Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Dmitry V. Bulgakov, who congratulated all the participants on successful mastering the difficult track and obstacles on it, especially the winning teams, including Serbia.

Our team leader Colonel Željko Ranković points out that both Serbia and Belarus participated in the Military Rally for the first time this year so the success is even greater.

- Our drivers have achieved great success, especially having regard to the fact that we were the smallest crew, that we did not drive these vehicles or used this navigation equipment before. I believe that after this experience we will be ready next year for even better result - Colonel Ranković says.

Our team includes a national representative and a referee, team captain, driver and gunman for a Tigar combat vehicle and eight competing drivers, who were selected based on the results of the 2018 and 2019 Serbian Armed Forces competitions.

All teams operated 4x4 and 6x6 KamAZ and Ural military vehicles, only the team of PR China competed on their SX2190 vehicles.

The Military Rally was held in the Republic of Tuva, the Russian Federation. The main rally race was driven on a very difficult 234 kilometre course.

In two individual races, our drivers acquired skills in operating vehicles that are not in the equipment of the Serbian Armed Forces, and for the first time they used military navigation and Russian radio connection. The success they have achieved shows that, in these circumstances, they are also ready to compete with drivers from big states and large armies, on vehicles that they have not driven before.

The 5th International Military Games are being held simultaneously in 21 training ranges in 10 countries: Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, from 3rd to 17th August. The number of participants exceeds 5,000, comprising 223 teams coming from 39 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America.