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Russia faces biggest military security threat from western direction, says defense chief

In 2020, 28 organizational measures are planned in Russia’s Western Military District for improving the troops’ combat structure

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

© Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. The western direction poses the biggest threat to Russia’s security, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.

"The western strategic direction continues to pose the biggest threat to Russia’s military security," Shoigu said at the ministry’s board meeting.

Russia’s Defense Ministry is implementing a set of measures in accordance with the plan of its activity in 2019-2025 to neutralize threats that emerge, Shoigu pointed out.

In 2020, 28 organizational measures are planned in Russia’s Western Military District for improving the troops’ combat structure. These measures are synchronized with the delivery of advanced weapons, the defense chief said.

"In particular, "about 2,000 new and upgraded weapon systems will be delivered, which will increase their share to over 65%," Shoigu said.

The Russian Army has carried out over 320 operational and combat training measures, including more than 30 drills, since the start of the year to raise the professional level of the personnel and military command centers, the defense chief said.

"Today the main efforts of the [Western Military] District’s command are aimed at preparing command and staff drills with the groupings of the Baltic Fleet and the 6th army," Shoigu said, stressing that the drills were solely of defensive nature.

Preparations are also underway for the Kavkaz-2020 strategic command and staff drills, the defense chief said.

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