Women display tank skills on Tank Driver's Day. Photo: mil.ru

With female touch, tank drivers show off finesse near border to Norway

These representatives of the Northern Fleet’s motorized infantry brigade know how to chop a melon with a tank gun.

September 10, 2018

It was party time in Korzunovo, the military settlement in the Pechenga district, as servicemen- and women this Sunday assembled on the local tank training range to mark the national Tankdriver’s Day.

The annual celebration devoted to Russia’s operators of armored tanks took place all over the country. However, in Korzunovo, only few kilometers from Norway, this year’s festivity had a special touch.

First, two crews of tank operators demonstrated artillery shooting on targets and executed acrobatic springboard jumps with modernized heavy vehicles type T-80. Then, the turn came to a group of female operators, mil.ru reports.

The women, who had undergone a one-month training course, made an extraordinary display of professional handling of the combat vehicles, the press service of the Northern Fleet informs. The young and fresh new tank drivers first showed how they managed to move a matchbox with the tank gun. They afterwards hammered a nail into a piece of timber with the same gun barrel and then chopped a melon in two parts.

See more of the amazing photos of the actions published in the regional nrewspaper Murmanski Vestnik.

The women were rewarded with bouquets of flowers.

Korzunovo is the name of the town serving Luostari air force base. Until about the year 2000, the base with the military airport code XLML was home to fighter jets and bombers. From here, Norway is 16 kilometers away, or less than a two minute flight after take-off. Nowhere did the Soviet Union have warplanes ready for missions closer to NATO than up here in the north.

Korzunovo is located near the military garrisons of Lower Luostari, Upper Luostari and 19 km where Russia’s 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade is based. It has a population of about 250.

See more photos from Korzunovo here:

CLICK ON GALLERY TO SEE MORE. Apron and taxiways with the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Once upon a time, a busy runway for warplanes. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The mining town of Zapolyarny visible in the horizon from the huge closed down air base. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Woman on duty in the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
On the wall of the control tower. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Once upon a time, a Soviet military check-point. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Abandoned apartment blocks close to the air-field. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
«Peace on earth. We protected our freedom in fight». Photo: Thomas Nilsen
A golden bust of Yury Gagarin shines the glory of the town. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Abandoned apartments block. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
School bus in front of on of the few apartment blocks where people still are living. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The school in Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
School bus ready to drive home the children from the military garrisons around Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
"Tankodrom" - Roadsigns in Korzunova are not like in any other towns. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Photo: Thomas Nilsen
There are still some military activities outside of Korzunova. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Scrap metal from installations once upon a time important for the Soviet air force. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Corroded bust of Lenin stands in front of one of the abounded buildings in the town center. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Workers tear down some of the old houses in the center of Korzunovo. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The Gagarin museum. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Inside the Gagarin museum. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
A golden Yury Gagarin shines glory over Soviet space history. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Colonel Yuri Korzunov, a Soviet hero pilot from World War 2, gave the name to the town of Korzunovo. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
The newly rebuilt monastery in Pechenga. Photo: Thomas Nilsen