Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Russian military announces large-scale Vostok-2010 drills

RIA Novosti

13:49 01/12/2009 MOSCOW, December 1 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Armed Forces will conduct large-scale Vostok military exercises in Siberia and the country's Far East in 2010, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The exercises will be part on the annual training cycle in the Russian military, aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability of the various branches of the Armed Forces.

"The main event of the combat training in 2010 will be the Vostok-2010 strategic exercises, which will involve units of the Siberian and the Far Eastern military districts, the Air Force, Airborne troops and the Pacific Fleet," the ministry said in a statement.

So far this year, the military has conducted the Caucasus 2009, Zapad 2009 and Ladoga 2009 strategic exercises, and 15 brigade-level and 161 battalion-level drills.

Russia holds Vostok strategic command-and-staff exercises every two years. More than 8,000 troops took part in Vostok-2008.