Belarusian-Russian military exercises reconciled with “election”

Big military strategic exercises titled “Stability 2008” are to be held September 22–October 21 in different regions of Russia and Belarus.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approved a plan of exercises on September 20. It is planned to drill organisation and deployment of Russian armed troops and tasks on using force grouping in localisation and liquidation of military conflicts, in natural hazards and man-made disasters, tasks of strategic deterrence, defending security of the “union state”.

As the press service of the Russian Defence Ministry said, strategic command post exercises Stability 2008 will be carried out under general command of the minister of defence of Russia. The concept of the exercise was worked out with participation of a large range of federal executive bodies of Russia in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Belarus.

The exercises include a complex of battle, special and command post exercises, training of different levels, united by a common idea, held in different regions of Russia and Belarus. It is also planned to attract bodies of military administration, troops and military units of the Military Forces of Belarus.

It should be reminded that complex battle exercises of the military forces of the country titled Autumn 2008 are scheduled for October 15–21. As the Belarusian military have informed earlier, air component of the Russian army is expected to take part in the exercises.