OPUK PROVING GROUND /Crimea/, September 9. /TASS/. Russia’s commando units and artillery, armor and other forces have been actively borrowing and employing the Syrian military’s experience in the course of the strategic command staff exercise Kavkaz-2016, the chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, said on Friday.

"In the course of the exercise the aviation, special operations units, commando units, artillery forces and other specialists have borrowed the experience of the Syrian army’s combat operations, such as the creation of ramparts, the tactic of using armor forces and other aspects," he told the media following the active phase of the Kavkaz-2016 exercise.

He said the troops displayed a high level of training.

"The main events were held at the Prudboi proving ground in the Volgograd Region, Molkino, in the Krasnodar Territory, Chernovodskoye, in North Ossetia, and here, at Opuk, in Crimea," Gerasimov said.

The active phase of the exercise is over, he declared.

"Now it will take some time to gather objective information regarding the fire practices and the troops’ tactics using the opinion of umpires. Once the information has been summarized the results will be announced. In any case the exercise was of great benefit to the Southern Military District and the forces that were attracted from the central and western military districts," Gerasimov said.

The final check of the armed forces was due in October.

"An assessment will be made of the forces and troops and of what they have achieved over the past year," Gerasimov said.