MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry plans to hold a strategic command staff exercise codenamed Center-2019 in September next year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a distance conference on Tuesday.

"The final combat training event next year will be the command staff exercise Tsentr-2019. It is due in September," Shoigu said.

On Monday, December 3 the armed forces entered the winter training season. Preparations for the Army Games are among the tasks on the agenda.

"During the winter period proper preparations are to be arranged for the 5th International Army Games," Shoigu said.

Shoigu held the distance conference at the National Defense Command Center on Tuesday, with the commanders of military districts, arms and services, as well as senior officials of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Primorye and Smolensk regions taking part.