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Russian armed forces to form new 90th Tank Division in the Chelyabinsk Region 1191016

Armies in the world - Russia

Russian armed forces to form new 90th Tank Division in the Chelyabinsk Region.

Russian armed forces work to form the 90th Tank Division in the Chelyabinsk Region in the Urals that is being carried out on schedule and will be completed on time, the Russian Central Military District’s press office said.

The press office made this statement following a check carried out by District Troops Commander Colonel-General Vladimir Zarudnitsky.

"Colonel-General Zarudnitsky has checked the final stage of the establishment of a new tank large unit, heard reports on the composition, the state and the strength of units and inspected the readiness of firing and gunnery ranges, tank driving ranges and tactical fields for the new training period that will start on December 1," district spokesman Yaroslav Roshchupkin said.

"The district troops commander said after the trip that the work to form the division was being carried out on schedule and would be completed on time," he added.

It was announced in January 2016 that a tank division would be set up in the Urals.

The tank division will operate advanced versions of the T-72 tank, the T-72B3. The division will comprise tank units, a motor rifle and a self-propelled artillery regiment, an air defense missile battalion, as well as reconnaissance, communications, medical and logistic support units.

The T-72B3 is a development of the standard Russian-made T-72B series currently in service in the Russian army. The T-72B3 has significantly improved its combat characteristics with more fire power, protection, mobility and command controllability.

The main armament of the T-72B3 is a 125mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun fitted with a light-alloy thermal sleeve and a bore evacuator.