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Military drills

Over 20 military drills to take place during combat readiness check in south Russia

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers will involve up to 8,500 personnel, 900 units of military hardware, 200 aircraft and helicopters, as well as 50 vessels

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

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Russia's largest military drills of 2015

MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Over 20 tactical military exercises at 18 ranges will be held at the final stage of a surprise combat readiness check that started Monday in the Southern Military District, Russia’s Defense Ministry told journalists Wednesday.

District and Airborne Troops units, used in the check, have started the second stage of the maneuvers, the ministry said.

"Overall, more than 20 tactical drills will be conducted at 18 ranges of the Southern Military District at the final stage of a snap check of combat readiness of the district," it said. "Units will act at unknown ranges with active counteraction of subversive reconnaissance groups of the hypothetical aggressor," it said.

Over the past 24 hours, units involved in the inspection completed redeployment to areas appointed to them, the ministry said.

The snap check of the combat readiness of the Southern Military District’s troops, a number of formations of the Airborne Troops and military-transport aviation started Monday morning. The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers will involve up to 8,500 personnel, 900 units of military hardware, 200 aircraft and helicopters, as well as 50 vessels.

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Military drills

Military drills

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