Nikolskoye, Vasilevo. Military Torzhok air base located near the town which has in residence the 344th Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel of Army Aviation. The center operates the "Golden Eagles" combat helicopter aerobatic team. The 696th Regiment tests all current models and modifications of Russian military helicopters. The center uses Ka-50, Mi-8, Mi-24, Mi-26, and Mil Mi-28Н helicopters for training purposes. In 2002 the center consisted of the: 696th Research-Instructor Helicopter Regiment (Troop Transport Helicopters) (Torzhok, Tver Oblast) 92nd Research-Instructor Helicopter Squadron (Sokol, Vladimir Oblast) 118th independent Helicopter Squadron (Chebenki, Orenburg Oblast) (though on 1.12.07 absorbed by the 4215th Aircraft Reserve Base) 2881st Helicopter Reserve Base (Totskoye-2, Orenburg Oblast) Kushalino test range (from 2005) (Military Unit: 15478) Notable people Mikhail Bakunin (1814–1876), revolutionary anarchist Alexej von Jawlensky, painter Solomon Shereshevsky, mnemonist Twin towns – sister cities Torzhok is twinned with: Melle, Germany Savonlinna, Finland Slonim, Belarus References Notes Sources Further reading External links Official website of Torzhok Unofficial website of Torzhok Torzhok: The golden age of provincial Russia Historic Town Centre of Torzhok and Country Estate Properties Designed by Nikolay Lvov. UNESCO Nomination Cities and towns in Tver Oblast Novotorzhsky Uyezd