Vietnam’s tank crew join Tajikistan, Myanmar and Uganda in Group 2 in the semifinal of the Tank Biathlon at the International Army Games in Russia, August 11 (Photo:VNA)

Vietnam’s tank crew at the competition (Photo:VNA)

Vietnamese tank crew (red) at the semifinal (Photo:VNA)

Vietnamese tank crew tops Group 2 (Photo:VNA)

(Photo:VNA)

This year, the Army Games has attracted over 6,000 military athletes in 223 teams from 39 countries from Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and Latin America (Photo:VNA)

This is the second year Vietnam has sent a delegation to the event, with 125 officers and soldiers in total (Photo:VNA)

Eight Vietnamese teams are competing in eight disciplines: tank crew, medical staff, food service specialists, emergency rescue personnel, armored vehicles crew, literary/art and dancing contestants, snipers, and chemical reconnaissance vehicles (Photo:VNA)

The tank team of the Vietnam People’s Army beat Tajikistan, Myanmar and Uganda, ranking first in the semi-final round of Group 2 of the “Tank biathlon” event on August 11 at the ongoing Army Games 2019 in Russia.

The Vietnamese team finished in 2 hours 39 minutes 34 seconds. With the excellent performance, Vietnam are likely to secure a berth in the final round, but still waiting the results of the remaining teams of Group 2 – Uzbekistan, Laos, Cuba and Kuwait – which will compete on August 13.

The team had an impressive performance at the round and received enthusiastic cheers from the audiences.

This is the second year Vietnam has sent a delegation to the event. Vietnam’s 127 officers and soldiers are participating in the categories of tank biathlon, safe route, safe environment, sniper frontier, military medical relay race, field kitchen, and emergency area.

Vietnam’s officers and soldiers were praised by Russian military experts for their performance at the event’s categories.

According to the Argumenty i Fakty (Arguments and Facts) weekly newspaper of Russia, Colonel Vladislav Veryasov from the Russian Armed Forces’ Engineer Arm, who is also a main referee, highly valued the Vietnamese team's skills, affirming that Vietnamese military personnel showed their unyielding fighting spirit.

Talking with the broadcaster STV of Belarus, Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus Colonel Vladimir Bely, who is also a main referee, though participating in the Army Games for the first time, the Vietnamese sniper team has achieved high results.

Vietnam’s military medical team was also praised by Sputnik newspaper of Russia. Accordingly, in the military medical relay race, the team applied reflexology techniques to help athletes recover their health after crossing obstacles at the Forish ground in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

During the Army Games 2019, more than 5,000 military athletes from 39 countries will compete in over 30 categories held in host Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, India, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

Vietnam’s attendance at the Army Games 2019 is considered a defence diplomatic activities of Vietnam to mark the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year (2019-2020). VNA