The brigade participated in the " West-81 " exercises in 1981 . It was involved in the exercise " Caucasus-85 " . Elements of the brigade participated in the cleanup operations after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 . The brigade participated in exercise " Caucasus-87 " in the following year . Its 292nd and 325th Helicopter Regiments were detached in 1988 . In 1989 , the brigade received a Red Banner from the Transcaucasus Military District Military Council . The brigade air-assaulted Yerevan Airport in July 1989 after it was occupied by armed Armenians . On 12 July , it landed at Leninakan to assist in rescue after the 1988 Armenian earthquake . In 1990 , it received the Minister of Defense 's Pennant " For Courage and Valor " . On 1 June 1990 , it was transferred to the Soviet airborne and renamed as the 21st Airborne Brigade
1988 Armenian earthquake
1988 Armenian earthquake
247th Guards Air Assault Regiment