25 Sep 2020 19:34

Russia's Caucasus 2020 exercise not aimed against other countries - General Staff

KAPUSTIN YAR, Astrakhan region. Sept 25 (Interfax) - The Russian strategic command post exercise, Caucasus 2020, is not aimed against other states, Russia's Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said.

"As you have seen for yourselves, in this exercise all warring nations are nominal and positioned geographically in the Russian Federation," Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches on Friday.

"As is tradition, the planning and conduct of the strategic exercise were built upon the principles of maximum possible openness. Foreign military attaches have been informed about the goals, objectives, locations, the forces and equipment involved," Gerasimov said.

The exercise is in line with Russia's defensive military doctrine, he said.

The active phase, which began at the Kapustin Yar training range in Astrakhan region on Friday, was watched by President Vladimir Putin.