Russian leaders view positively Zapad 2017 stage at Luzhsky range - WMD commander
LUZHSKY RANGE (Leningrad region). Sept 18 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu have commended the results of the Zapad 2017 strategic exercise's stage completed at the Luzhsky Range on Monday, Gen. Andrei Kartapolov, commander of the Western Military District (WMD), told reporters.
"The supreme commander-in-chief and the minister of defense have given it a high grade," Kartapolov said.
Kartapolov went on to highlight the scale of this stage. "The magnitude of today's stage was big. The frontline was about 600 km, [the troops] were simultaneously accomplishing the task at three ranges," he said.
The units involved in the exercise demonstrated a high level of training and successfully accomplished their tasks despite difficult weather conditions, he said.
"The units of the 25th separate motorized rifle brigade, the 138th motorized rifle brigade, 240 km north of us, the units of the 2nd Taman division, and paratroopers have shown much confidence," Kartapolov said.
Kartapolov also praised the work done by "reconnaissance-strike contours [groups] that allowed for a very accurate employment of aviation under such difficult conditions".