MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Army tactical exercises were launched on Monday in Russia’s Southern Military District in the foothills of the North Caucasian mountains. The press service of the Southern Military District reported that manoeuvres outside Stavropol involve more than 500 troops of the motorized rifle brigade stationed in Chechnya. They drill countering airstrikes and neutralizing imaginary militants.

"Units of the separate motorized rifle brigade of the Southern Military District, stationed in the territory of the Chechen Republic, have launched a battalion tactical exercise with live firing at the Sernovodsky range in the Stavropol region. The exercise, which will last from March 16 to 20, involves more than 500 troops and about 40 armoured personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery weapons and missile-gun anti-aircraft systems," the press service said.

The exercise will focus on drilling actions of air defense units, including with the use of drones. Also, reconnaissance units, artillerists and electronic warfare specialists will be involved in the manoeuvres, said the press service.

"The final stage of the exercise will feature field firing from weapons of the armoured personnel carriers BTR-82AM, T-72B3 tanks and small arms," the source said.