Moscow (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 minutes34 seconds. With the excellent performance, Vietnam are likely to securea berth in the final round, but still waiting the results of the remaining teamsof Group 2 – Uzbekistan, Laos, Cuba and Kuwait – which will compete on August13.

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

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

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

Accordingto the Argumenty i Fakty (Arguments and Facts) weeklynewspaper of Russia, ColonelVladislav Veryasov from the Russian Armed Forces’ Engineer Arm, who is also amain referee, highly valued the Vietnamese team's skills, affirming that Vietnamesemilitary personnel showed their unyielding fighting spirit.

Talking with the broadcasterSTV of Belarus, Deputy Commander of theSpecial Operations Forces of theArmed Forces of Belarus Colonel Vladimir Bely, who is also a main referee, though participating inthe Army Games for the first time, the Vietnamese sniper team has achieved highresults.

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

During the Army Games 2019, more than 5,000 military athletes from 39 countrieswill 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 diplomaticactivities of Vietnam to mark the Vietnam-Russiaand Russia-Vietnam Year (2019-2020).-VNA