Large-scale drills kick off in south Russia

Large-scale command and staff drills have kicked off in south Russia involving 8,200 troops, the press office of the Southern Military District reported.

"The combat training measures involve large units and military formations of three integrated combined arms forces, the Air Force and Air Defense Army, the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla of the Southern Military District," TASS cited the press office as saying.

The troops will practice employing multi-service force groupings for the purposes of ensuring military security on Russia’s southern borders. The drills will run on August 26-31 at 12 all-arms, naval and aviation training ranges in the Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Stavropol and Krasnodar Regions and in the Republic of Crimea.