OPUK PROVING GROUND /Crimea/, September 9. /TASS/. Military attaches form more than 40 countries have gathered in Crimea for one of the key phases of the Caucasus-2016 strategic exercise, Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov has told the media.

"About 60 military attaches from more than 40 countries have gathered at the Opuk proving ground for a large-scale phase of the exercise the Caucasus-2016," he said.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said that foreign military attaches had been invited to attend the second phase of the exercise.

The strategic exercise  the Caucasus-2016 is being held in southern Russia on September 5-10. A total of 120,000 military personnel and civilians were involved in the exercise at different stages, but no more than 12,500 troops were participating in it simultaneously at any one time.

Earlier reports said Russia’s military in the Crimea demonstrated the elimination of air targets with rockets launched with the air defense system S-400 Triumf and the launch of a cruise missile from the submarine The Novorossiysk against a naval group of the hypothetical enemy.