
Russiaon Mondaykicked off its large-scale week-long Caucasus 2020 (Kavkaz 2020) military exercises along withChina, Belarus, Pakistan and several other countries.
The military exercises inKavkaz this yearare expected to focus on combating cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, theRussian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The drills, led by Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov, will take place at several firing ranges and airfields in southernRussia.
The navy part of the drills in both the Black Sea and Caspian Sea will be joined by the Iranian navy, the ministry said.
The defence ministry also said that the exercises will involve around 1,000 military personnel from Armenia, Belarus, China, Myanmar and Pakistan. The exercises will be observed by representatives of Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Sri-Lanka.
Russiasaid the drills will involve around 80,000 personnel includingRussian missile defence and navy units, as well as officers of theRussian Emergencies Ministry and theRussian Guard.
According to the ministry, the drills will also feature up to 250 tanks, 450 military personnel carriers and 200 artillery systems.