Female
students of the Russian army paratrooper academy in Ryazan
have been practicing shooting grenade launchers AGS-17 and
driving combat vehicles BMD-1 and BMD-2.
The practical exercises require advanced skills and begin
only in the third year. Before this, students train on simulators.
The standards for the 40 female students of the academy
are identical to those set for their male classmates. They
need to prepare the weapons, folding the belt and plugging
it into a grenade launcher in a matter of minutes.
A loaded grenade launcher weighs nine kilograms, but the
young women say they can handle this load just fine. They
appear to shoot the machine guns and drive the armored combat
vehicles with ease. The academy’s students graduate
with the rank of squadron commander.
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