Permanent readiness units of the Moscow Military District were alarmed on Tuesday as part of the Russian-Belarusian tactical-strategic drill, West 2009, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported.
“The command agencies and units of the Belarusian-Russian regional
grouping started practicing methods of assuming top combat readiness,”
the ministry said in a press release.
At the first stage of the maneuvers command agencies will practice
troops control while fulfilling strategic deterrence tasks and dealing
with the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters. They will also
practice organization and regrouping of Russian military command
agencies and troops in Belarus.
“Individual units of the Moscow and Volga-Urals military districts
will be transferred by rail to the training area. Over 200 railway
trains will be used,” the Defense Ministry said.
West 2009 will be held from September 8 to 29 under the joint
command of the Belarusian defense minister and the chief of the Russian
General Staff. It will involve about 12,500 servicemen, up to 40
aircraft and about 200 pieces of military hardware.
