Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
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Russian Army units as well as the Air Force, Airborne Troops and the Navy's Northern Fleet have been put on high alert as part of a large-scale snap exercise which the Defense Ministry says will check troops' readiness to tackle emerging crises.

"According to the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces [President Vladimir Putin], a regular snap exercise begins today," Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a briefing with top military commanders on Thursday.

"Troops in the Southern Military District, some units of the Western and Central Military Districts, as well as the Northern Fleet, the Air Force and the Airborne Troops, are to be put on full alert starting from 7.00am [local time]," the minister added.

The exercise will last until August 31, Shoigu said, ordering the deputy defense minister - who is in charge of military-to-military cooperation - to inform foreign defense attachés of the war games.

The first day is set to test the Russian military's rapid response capabilities and combat readiness, according to officials. Army units will then move to training areas and act according to simulated scenarios.

Shoigu said the massive war games would allow the troops to be trained to "defend Russia's interests amid emerging security threats" in the country's west and southwest. The military districts were ordered to form "sustainable task forces" to deal with possible crisis situations within their areas of responsibility.


Comment: In other words: Ukraine.



In addition to the military formations, the large-scale war games will involve logistics and communications units which will back up a "viable command-and-control chain" for troops on the move.

Lithuania's defense minister, Asta Galdikaite, also criticized Russia's snap military exercises, saying that they were leading to an increase of tensions in the region.

"We regret that for the last four years Russia disregards its neighboring countries, behaves unexpectedly, often practicing large-scale exercises. It goes against the stability or transparency in the Euro-Atlantic space," Galdikaite was cited as saying by the BNS news agency.

Meanwhile, Poland's Foreign Minister, Witold Waszczykowski, acknowledged Russia's right to hold drills on its own territory, but asked for more transparency.

"Every army has the right to exercise. We are only interested in these drills being transparent and open so that we knew that what's going on, that aggressive maneuvers towards other states trained," Waszczykowski said on Polish television.

Massive snap exercises embracing large military formations all across Russia have taken place every year since 2014, and mainly focus on training personnel in how to act in a rapidly-changing combat environment.


Earlier this year, the Southern and Central Military Districts as well as the Airborne Troops were put on alert during separate drills.

As a rule, units participating in the war games have to leave their bases at short notice and move to a remote location, sometimes hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. Consequently, being deployed to an unfamiliar area with limited time to prepare simulates real-life missions for soldiers and officers, the military believes.

Meanwhile, NATO has carried out a number of war games close to Russia's borders. In June, Defense Minister Shoigu said the bloc's buildup at Russia's doorstep had "more than doubled," meaning Moscow would have to act accordingly.

Anatoly Antonov, the deputy defense minister, said later on Thursday the defense attachés have been briefed in detail on the exercise, stressing that the war games are being conducted in compliance with international law.

"As a goodwill gesture, we have officially informed OSCE member states as well as China and Iran on the start of the snap exercise," Antonov said.


Comment: Message: Don't mess with Donbass.
The ongoing drill is the largest one that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have held in a year and a half. Attention should be drawn to the fact that the center of military exercises has shifted to the South. In June-early July of this year, basic exercises were held in North-West Russia in response to NATO military activity in the Baltic countries.

It's difficult not to see a foreign policy motivation in the choice of these districts for a sudden armed forces check. The Southern and Western Military Districts of Russia border with Ukraine. Meanwhile, on the border with Russian Crimea, Ukrainian troops are in full combat readiness. What's more, the intensity of UAF shellings of the republics of Donbass (including the use of volley fire systems) is growing. According to reports from the DPR's military leadership, Ukraine has deployed 140 additional units of military vehicles to the contact line.
...
The alarmism and increasing anxiety of Ukrainian officers and politicians is both a cause and effect. Russia has been compelled to respond to the growing aggressiveness of this neighboring country which has, among other things, manifested itself in the preparation of acts of sabotage and terrorism against Russian Crimea and impending resumption of hostilities in Donbass.
...
Instead of the purely military tasks which Shoigu mentioned, these sudden drills checking the readiness of Russian troops in the military districts bordering Ukraine have the direct goal of warning Ukraine's hawks, intimidating them from repeating dangerous adventures in Crimea or Donbass. This is somewhat of a paradox, but the country acting in the role of the peacemaker (Russia) is obviously the stronger side. Stronger and smarter. We have already had more than one occasion to observe the irresponsibility of the Ukrainian leadership.
Update - August 27

Russian Ships Mastering Defense at Black, Caspian Seas
Russian warships are training different defensive tasks at both the Black and the Caspian Seas as part of ongoing snap combat readiness inspections, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a Saturday statement. "The crews of missile ships, anti-submarine ships, gunboats, missile boats and minesweeping ships are working out the tasks of the organization of air defense and underwater anti-sabotage defense... the service forces of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla are implementing tasks on installation of a range of equipment in the dispersal areas of warships' tactical groups in order to prepare to the inspection with possible use of shipboard weapon systems," the statement said.
Russian S-300, S-400 Air Defense Systems Put on Combat Duty in New Areas
Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense systems of the Southern Military District are starting combat duty in new position areas as part of snap combat readiness drills, the Russian Defense Ministry informs. The air defense systems will be used several kilometers away from their permanent deployment sites and "will start maintenance work on the equipment and enter combat duty" upon their arrival, the ministry's press service said on Saturday.
Russian Aerospace Forces Relocate Amid Snap Combat Readiness Check
The crews of Russian Aerospace Forces of the Western and Central military districts have started to relocate aviation equipment to airfields in the Southern Military District amid an ongoing snap combat readiness inspection, the Russian Defense Ministry informs."Fighter and bomber aircraft as well as transport-combat and attack helicopters will perform a flight over a distance of 500 to 2,500 kilometers [310-1,553 miles]. The Il-76 military transport aircraft are performing the transfer of technical staff and aviation units, airfield and special equipment," the ministry's press service informed on Saturday.
Russian Military Units Sent South as Part of Snap Drills
The Russian Defense Ministry reports that special purpose brigades of the Russian Central and Western military districts will be transferred to the Southern Military District to perform tasks of the ongoing snap combat readiness drills."The special forces units will carry out tasks conducting search and reconnaissance missions as well as anti-sabotage tasks on unknown ranges of the Southern Military District," the press service of the defense ministry said on Saturday.
Update - August 28-29

Russia Relocates Airborne, Marine Troops to Crimea as Part of Snap Inspection
Russia has repositioned its airborne troops and marines to ranges located in Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory in the country's south as part of the ongoing snap combat readiness inspections, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday.

"Within the framework of a snap combat readiness inspection, units of an air assault brigade of the Airborne Forces and a marine brigade of the Caspian Flotilla have been relocated to ranges in Crimea and in the Krasnodar Territory," the statement said.

The statement added that airborne brigades had been relocated from the Volgograd Region to the range of Opuk located on the Crimean Peninsula, while the marines had been relocated to the Rayevsky range.
Military exercise involving 4,000 troops begins in Russia's Astrakhan region
Combat aircraft and air defence units will destroy targets simulating cruise missiles, attack and reconnaissance drones and enemy aviation

A military exercise involving about 4,000 troops and 1,500 pieces of military equipment, including S-300 and S-400 systems, has begun at the Kapustin Yar proving ground in the Astrakhan Region, the deputy chief of the Western Military District's press office, Igor Muginov, has said.

"Participating in the exercise are air defense forces, combat aircraft, radio-technical troops, radio-electronic warfare troops, and reconnaissance and mechanized infantry units - 4,000 officers and men and 1,500 pieces of military equipment, including 50 planes and helicopters of tactical and army aviation," he said.

The command staff exercise by aviation groups and air defense forces is being held under the guidance of the Western Military District's commander Andrey Kartapolov.

The forces will practice counter-measures against a hypothetical enemy's rocket and bomb strikes. Combat aircraft and air defence units will destroy targets simulating cruise missiles, attack and reconnaissance drones and enemy aviation.
Crimean defense units formed on Black Sea peninsula in combat readiness check
Crimea and Sevastopol have selected over 500 citizens in reserve who will undergo field training in military positions. Reservists have manned Crimean defense units on the basis of the Black Sea Fleet's marine infantry large formation in Sevastopol as part of a combat readiness check, fleet spokesman Vyacheslav Trukhachyov said on Monday.
Update - August 30

Russia, Mongolia Start Selenga-2016 Military Drills in Buryatia
The Russian-Mongolian Selenga-2016 military exercises started on Tuesday in Russia's Republic of Buryatia, the head of Russia's Eastern Military District press service said. The Selenga exercise has been carried out annually since 2008, with Russian and Mongolian troops engaging in collaborative field exercises to identify, block and destroy illegal armed groups.

"Opening ceremony of Russian-Mongolian Selenga-2016 military drills took place at Eastern Military District's training facility Burduny in Republic of Buryatia," Alexander Gordeev said. He added that some 1,000 servicemen and 200 pieces of military equipment from both sides were participating in the drills.
Russia Starts Drills for Reconnaissance Units in Far East, Siberia
Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday started reconnaissance drills in six regions of country's Eastern Military District, the military district's spokesman said. He added that the servicemen would pay special attention to passage of waterbodies during the exercises.

"Complex practical exercises within the framework of large-scale field-type drills of reconnaissance units started at all the same time at eight ranges and training facilities of Eastern Military District located at Republic of Buryatia, Zabaikalsky Territory, Khabarovsk Territory, Primorsky Territory, Amur Region and Sakhalin Region," Alexander Gordeev said.

According to Gordeev, reconnaissance units would also practice use of advanced equipment, including drones, as well as cooperation with different arms of service.
Russia Starts Drills in South Ossetia as Part of Snap Check
Russian military on Tuesday started drills in South Ossetian mountains as part of the ongoing snap combat readiness inspections, Russian Southern Military District's press service said in a statement.

According to the statement, Russian troops would use T-72A tanks, Sani mortar systems, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, within the framework of the military exercises.

"As envisioned by the drills, the units should repel an attack of an imaginary enemy's superior forces during the defensive maneuvers in South Ossetian mountains and to do maximal fire damage," the statement said.

Snap combat readiness inspections are running across Russia's Southern, Western and Central military districts, as well as the Northern Fleet, Aerospace Forces and Airborne Troops on August 25-31.
Russian troops to drill missions at 14 practice ranges in snap check
Drills will be held at 14 training ranges in the south of Russia as part of a combat readiness check that started in the Russian Armed Forces on August 25, the Defense Ministry's press office said on Tuesday.

"Tactical and special tactics exercises are being held at 14 combined-arms training ranges of the Southern Military District with live-firing, the rehearsals of troops' practical actions and training to counter a notional enemy's subversive and reconnaissance groups, control exercises in the training subjects such as driving combat vehicles and tanks, firing, tactical, engineering, technical, medical and airborne drills," the Defense Ministry said in a statement obtained by TASS.

At the Kapustin Yar training range near Astrakhan in south Russia, the troops will practice repelling a notional enemy's massive air strike while sailors in the Black and Caspian Seas will destroy a group of enemy warships. Also, marine infantry will practice boarding large amphibious assault ships and landing on unprepared terrain.
Russian Defense Ministry receives another batch of Sukhoi-34 bombers
Russia's combat aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi has delivered another batch of front-line bombers Sukhoi-34 to the customer - the Defense Ministry, the company's press-office has said. "The planes took off from the manufacturer's airdrome in Novosibirsk to head for their location," the company said in a news release obtained by TASS. The news release does not specify the number of aircraft provided to the Defense Ministry.
Over 50 warplanes deliver massive air strike against notional enemy in south Russia drills
Over 50 warplanes have delivered a massive air strike against a notional enemy at the Ashuluk training range near Astrakhan in south Russia in a combat readiness check, the press office of Russia's Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday. "The crews of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft of the Southern Military District have accomplished a massive air strike with rockets against ground targets at the Ashuluk training range near Astrakhan in a snap combat readiness check," the ministry said.

Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name: Flanker) and Su-30SM (Flanker-C) fighter jets, Su-24M (Fencer) and Su-34 (Fullback) bombers and Su-25SM (Frogfoot) attack aircraft were involved in the drills. They used aircraft guns, bombs and rockets against the targets imitating columns of military hardware, protected shelters and camouflaged firing positions.
Russia's S-300, S-400 Air defense Systems Destroy Target Drones in Snap Drills
Advanced S-300 and S-400 air defense systems deployed in southern Russia during ongoing snap military drills have destroyed a variety of aerial target drones simulating 'adversary' aircraft and cruise missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. "Air defense units of the Southern Military District armed with S-300 and S-400 air defense systems have detected, monitored and destroyed target drones imitating adversary aircraft, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles during snap drills at the Ashuluk testing range [in the Astrakhan region]," the ministry said in a statement.