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Russia prepares for Center-2015 large-scale military drills in September

The exercise will feature use of cutting-edge automated systems of communication and command
Russian Airborne troops during an alert exercise Vladimir Smirnov/TASS
Russian Airborne troops during an alert exercise
© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Tens of thousands military servicemen from all branches of the Russian Armed Forces will take part in the large-scale combat exercise Center-2015 scheduled to be held in September, a senior military official said on Thursday.

"The exercise will unite under a single command tens of thousands troops from all branches of the Russian Armed Forces, law enforcement ministries and departments and they will be active on several firing ranges across Russia exercising special-purpose, research and other assignments," Colonel General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, former head of the Main Operational Directorate in the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and the current commander of the Central Military District, told journalists.

He said that the exercise in particular will feature use of cutting-edge automated systems of communication and command.

The senior military official added that the exercise will also be aimed at testing the defense readiness of a number of Russian regions.

"A number of regions will be tested for their organization of defense with the practice of mobilization deployment," Zarudnitsky said.

His statement comes in the wake of Russia’s strategic command and staff exercises and a surprise check of troops’ combat readiness, held across the country between March 16 and 21.

The surprise check started with Russia’s Northern Fleet, units and formations of its Western Military District and the Airborne Force and subsequently extended to troops in other Russian regions. It involved 80,000 troops, 10,000 pieces of military hardware, 65 combat ships, 15 submarines and over 200 aircraft and helicopters.