Statements of the Russian Ministry of Defense:

Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has declared the start of an unannounced combat readiness inspection of the Central, Southern and Western MD  troops.

Upon the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, the troops of the Southern MD, separate formations and units of the Western and Central Military Districts, the Northern Fleet, the Aerospace Forces, the Airborne Troops are put on full combat readiness.  Intensive preparations for the Caucasus-2016 strategic exercise are held in the Southern MD.

The Russian Defence Minister ordered to check within 24 hours the capability of troops to perform missions under full combat readiness within the inspection; to deploy formations and units at the assigned ranges and training areas, to prepare for training task performance; to estimate the readiness of the Southern MD to deploy self-sufficient groupings in order to localize crisis situations; to check troop buildup capabilities of Central and Western MDs in the south-west strategic direction; to carry out full procedure of preparation of the Armed Forces for protection of national interests in case of security treat.  Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly also informed military attaches of the unannounced combat readiness inspection of the Russian Armed Forces.  He stressed that the activities were conducted in strict compliance with the Vienna Document 2011.

Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov has informed foreign military attaches accredited in Moscow of the unannounced combat readiness inspection of the Russian Armed Forces which had started in the Central, Southern and Western Military Districts upon the decision of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.  According to the Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov, the military diplomats have received detailed information concerning the activities.  He stressed that the activities were conducted in strict compliance with the Vienna Document 2011: “We have informed in good faith the OSCE member-states as well as China and Iran of the started unannounced inspection through the official channel,” said Anatoly Antonov.  Answering questions about the time frame of the inspection, he mentioned that the activities would have been finished by August 31.

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