Large military exercise with airdrop for the Russian airborne troops in the Arctic region 1503143.

Commenting on the success of the mission, Airborne Troops commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said it was a feat of valor and prowess only Russian paratroopers are capable of, as the drills were carried out in extremely adverse weather conditions.

“You can be proud of our paratroopers, who accomplish their tasks in any conditions,” Shamanov told reporters.

The 98th division started large-scale exercises involving 4,000 troops, 36 military transport aircraft and an unspecified number of combat vehicles on March 11.

Apart from the Arctic, the paratroopers have been deployed in the Rostov, Tambov, Belgorod and Kursk regions – all bordering on Ukraine – “to practice combat techniques and maneuvering,” according to the defense ministry.

The drills come in the wake of a number of military exercises in Russia’s western regions in recent weeks, including air defense and artillery drills, combat readiness snap checks and the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Moscow says the exercises are not linked to the political standoff between Russia and the West over Crimea, an autonomous Ukrainian region with a narrow ethnic Russian majority.