MOSCOW: In order to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western and central Russia, the President Vladimir Putin has ordered an urgent military drill which included troops dealing with mock security and terrorist threats.
Putin ordered to “test combat readiness of troops in dealing with crisis situations that threaten the military security of the country, as well as with antiterrorist, sanitary and epidemiological, or technogenic situations,” RT quoted the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu as saying on Wednesday.
The defence minister said that the surprise drill tested ground troops, air force, airborne troops and aerospace defense.
Shoigu said that the drill will be held from February 26 until March 3 in two stages, adding that the second stage involves an opposing-force exercise with the participation of Russia’s Northern and Baltic fleet and bomb strike drills.
