DUSHANBE, April 10, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Demining teams of the Russian military base in Tajikistan have launched an operation to clear three training grounds of the possible unexploded ordnances (UXOs) after military exercises that were conducted at those training grounds last month.

Dmitry Matushkin, an assistant to the commander of the Russian base in Tajikistan, says live-fire missions were conducted at the training grounds of Lohour, Momirak and Sambuli in March and the demining teams of the base launched the operation to clear these training grounds of the possible unexploded mines and ordnances.

According to him, more than 250 high-explosive shells of 122 and 152 mm, 150 high-explosive mines of 120-milimeter caliber and some 50 smoke and light shells were used during the exercises that involved some 1,000 artillerists.