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Expert links Russian troops’ combat readiness check with tensions near state borders

This is a demonstrative step to let it know that any aggressive actions against Russia will get an adequate response, Sergei Lipovoi said

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. The troops’ surprise combat readiness check in Russia’s Central Military District is linked with NATO’s increased activity near the Russian borders, the tensions between the United States and Iran and the latest events in Georgia, Chairman of the Officers of Russia Presidium Major-General Sergei Lipovoi told TASS on Monday.

"The main aim of these surprise drills is to check the combat readiness of the country’s armed forces and its mobilization abilities. What is this linked with? First of all, this is linked, of course, with NATO’s increased activity near the Russian borders, especially in the Baltic region and in Poland. This is also linked with the aggravation of the relations between the United States and Iran, and also with the events in Georgia, behind which the Americans stand, in my opinion," Lipovoi said.

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Snap check of combat readiness begins in Central Military District

"The surprise combat readiness check in Russia’s Central Military District that kicked off on Monday is of peaceful and defensive nature," the general noted. "Besides, this is a demonstrative step to let it know that any aggressive actions against our country will get an adequate response," the general stressed.

The surprise combat readiness check of the troops in the Central Military District started on order from Russia’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Vladimir Putin and will last through June 28. Over this period, the troops will take part in more than 50 drills to practice the tasks of beefing up the defense of vital state and military installations, conducting air defense, countering terrorist threats, eliminating illegal armed formations and other destructive military forces.

The snap combat readiness check is aimed at assessing the ability of the Russian Armed Forces to ensure military security in the Central Asian region where serious terrorist threats persist.

Russia’s top brass resumed the practice of troops’ surprise combat readiness checks in 2013. Summing up the results of a previous series of snap checks, Chief of Russia’s General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov noted that these maneuvers practice forces’ regrouping to large distances, interaction of military governance bodies with federal and regional executive authorities. This also helps reveal the level of troops’ preparedness and, therefore, Russia’s Defense Ministry intends to continue this practice.

Russia’s Central Military District is based on the territory of the Volga, Urals and Siberian integrated federal districts and 29 Russian regions. Structurally, the Central Military District also includes some overseas facilities: the 201st military base in Tajikistan, the Kant integrated military base in Kyrgyzstan and units on the territory of Kazakhstan.

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