MOSCOW, June 21/ /ITAR-TASS/. Russian President and Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces Vladimir Putin on Saturday decided to hold a surprise comprehensive inspection of combat readiness of the entire Central Military District’s personnel, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said.

“From 11:00 Moscow Time [07:00 GMT], the troops of the Central Military District, as well as formations and military units on its territory, are placed on full combat alert,” the defense minister said at a meeting in his minstry, adding that the check will last until June 28.

He said the president set the task to inspect the troops’ time standards and ability to fulfill combat readiness posture tasks. Later on, the troops will be taken to training ranges for exercises.

The minister said the inspection is designed to practice troops movement for long distances, deployment of control systems and materiel support and other exercises.

At the Defense Ministry meeting, Shoygu ordered Russian Airborne Troops Commander Vladimir Shamanov to airlift the 98th Airborne Division to a distance of 1,500 kilometers - from the Ivanovo Region in central Russia to the Chelyabinsk Region in the Urals.

The redeployment will be carried out by military transport aviation. In the Chelyabinsk Region, the division will land at the Chebarkul range.

Shoygu also gave instructions to notify military attaches of foreign states of the surprise complex combat readiness inspection.

“Troops are to return to permanent bases by July 1,” the minister ordered.