CHITA (Siberia), August 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and Mongolia are holding joint tactical exercises to practice interoperability during peacekeeping operations, the press service for Russia's Siberian Military District has said.

The drills, dubbed Darkhan-2, are being held in Mongolia and involve a Russian engineer maintenance battalion numbering about 200 military personnel and 90 vehicles from the Siberian Military District, as well as a number of Mongolian military units.

"Col. Gen. Alexander Postnikov [commander of the Siberian Military District] and a group of staff officers arrived in Mongolia to inspect the deployment of the Russian troops participating in the exercise," the press service said.

The Darkhan-2 exercise started on Monday and will continue until September 15.

Last year, the two countries held a similar exercise, Darkhan-1, in the central and northern parts of Mongolia. The drills involved 250 Mongolian and 450 Russian troops, including a repair battalion from the Siberian Military District.