Abkhazian military put on alert along with Russian base servicemen for first time ever in readiness drills
MOSCOW. July 13 (Interfax) - Abkhazian armed forces servicemen have for the very first time joined events which are under way as part of a combat-readiness inspection in units of a Russian military base, chief press officer of the Southern Military District Col. Vadim Astafyev told Interfax.
"Units of the Russian military base in Abkhazia were alerted on Thursday as part of a combat-readiness check declared by the commander of Southern Military District troops," Astafyev said.
Units of different branches of troops, weaponry, military and special hardware, including T-72B3 tanks, BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers, and KamAZ Mustang armored vehicles were involved in the training, he said.
While put on combat alert, tactical groups of the Russian military base in Abkhazia were tasked with carrying out marches to combined-arms training grounds.
"Certain units in interaction with air defense forces of the Fourth Air Force and Air Defense Army will practice tactical tasks on the seashore in the area of the Nagvalou training range," Astafyev said.
At the same time, a motor rifle tactical group with affiliated artillery detachments will carry out a tactical drill with live-fire episodes at the Tsabal highland training ground.
A military district headquarters committee is overseeing the performance of tasks during the combat-readiness check. The commander of Southern Military District troops ordered a focus on the execution of training and combat tasks by reconnaissance-strike channels.
"Units of the Abkhazian republican armed forces will practice tactical episodes within the drills. The objective of ongoing drills is to evaluate the level of combat training and coordination in units of the large formation," the Southern Military District spokesman said.
About 1,000 servicemen and over 300 pieces of weapons and military hardware are involved in the combat-readiness check.