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Russia and Belarus to hold Zapad 2013 troop excercises in September

The parties will train interoperability of command staffs of different levels and conduct troop command and control interface
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, June 10 (Itar-Tass) - Russia and Belarus will conduct the Zapad 2013 (West 2013) exercises on September 20-26, the Defence Ministry’s press service told Itar-Tass on Monday.

“The Russian-Belarusian exercises will be conducted under the command of the Russian and Belarusian chief of General Staffs,” an official of the Defence Ministry said.

During the exercises, the parties will train the preparation and use of a group of forces to ensure security of the Union State. They are expected to train interoperability of command staffs of different levels and conduct troop command and control interface, the Russian ministry said.

Provisions of new regulations worked out by Russia and Belarus will be checked, the Defence Ministry said.

On the first stage of the exercises the joint command will train planning of using the regional group of forces, command of troops in the course of troops deploying, sealing off areas where illegal armed formations act, and building up groups of Air Force and air defence. The second stage will focus on training troop command during joint operations.

Russia and Belarus conduct the exercises regularly. The latest manoeuvres took place at the Gorokhovets training range, Nizhny Novgorod Region, in September 2011.