MOSCOW, February 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Large units and military commands dislocated on the territory of the Western and Central commands and participating in the combat readiness test have started a massive redeployment to areas of interest, according to the press service of Russia’s Defense Ministry.

According to the General Staff of the Russian army, the commanders received packets with introductory data on performing route marches to areas of loading troop trains, as well as to airdromes of military transport aviation, followed by troops’ redeployment to the Defense Ministry’s ranges located far away from areas of permanent dislocation.

Tank units and detachments of the We4stern Command have finished the uploading of the railroad platforms and now are performing route marches to areas of interest.

Several units of the Western and Central commands are assigned to perform route marches under own power to cover a distance of more than 1,000 km.

Detachments of the Pskov unit of the Airborne Forces have rapidly moved to the aerial embarkation center and are ready to enter the areas of interest.

Troops and units dislocated in polar regions, Kaliningrad, Samara, Leningrad, Pskov, Kursk, Voronezh, Lipetsk and other regions of Russia are moved from areas of permanent deployment and ready to be sent to any district assigned by the General Staff.

It would become known where and what tasks the troops would perform after officers of the General Staff would open the relevant packets and inform the armies’ and units’ commanders. The main task of the first stage of the combat readiness check is to assess actions of commanders and staffs when put in top combat readiness and redeployment to areas of interest.

Under authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, from February 26, the Defense Ministry is undergoing an instantaneous integrated combat readiness test of the Western Command Armed Forces, 2nd Army of the Central Command and Airborne Troops Command.

All in all, about 150 thousand military personnel of different services of the Armed Forces and military commands are involved in the check. Up to 90 planes, more than 120 helicopters, up to 880 tanks, over 1,200 defense equipment units and about 80 ships would be used.