MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry will continue testing its system to fight air-and sea-launched cruise missiles in the Eastern Military District, Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said at a ministerial board meeting on Friday.

The combat potential of the Eastern Military District was increased by more than 10% in 2016 to ensure Russia’s national interests in the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian defense minister said.

"The District will continue to provide troops with new and modern armaments, military and special hardware, test the system of fighting air-and sea-launched cruise missiles, improve the system of mobilization deployment and build military infrastructure facilities," Shoigu said.

"Efforts to ensure national interests of the Russian Federation in the Asia-Pacific Region remain a priority area of the Armed Forces’ activity," Shoigu said.

For this purpose, the Eastern Military District carried out enormous work in 2016 to optimize its organic structure, build the troops’ combat potential and provide units and formations with new and modernized armaments and military hardware, and also increased the intensity of operational and combat training," the defense minister said.

Specifically, 56 organizational measures were carried out in the Eastern Military District in 2016, Shoigu said.

"The tasks of manning troops with contract servicemen were 100% fulfilled; the number of battalion-level tactical groups was increased to 20 and troops received 723 pieces of basic armaments, military and special hardware," the defense minister said.

"As a result, the District’s combat power increased by more than 10%," Shoigu said.

Also, the level of personnel and military governance bodies’ training increased considerably, the Russian defense minister said.

"This is evidenced by the results of snap checks and good results, which the District’s teams demonstrated at the International Army Games," the defense minister said.