KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Representatives of Ukrainian and Moldovan defense ministries will discuss the details of the forthcoming Yug-2006 (South 2006) joint tactical exercise during the meeting in Odesa, an official of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"A planing conference of the forthcoming Ukrainian-Moldovan Yug-2006 tactical maneuvers will open in Odessa on Thursday," he said.
The participants in the conference represent the defense ministries of the two countries and will draft a detailed action plan, and discuss the composition of forces to be employed and the schedule of the exercise, as well as agree on financial and logistics support issues.
The official said that in compliance with earlier agreements, the Yug-2006 peacekeeping exercise is going to be held at the Shiroky Lan training ground of Ukraine's Southern Operational Command in June 2006. The exercise main objective is to improve peacekeeping skills of specialized detachments of the countries' armed forces.
Ukraine will be represented by a mechanized platoon with mechanized brigade service support detachments of the 6th army corps, while Moldova by a motorized infantry detachment.
It is planned that the participants will practice search and rescue and humanitarian operations in an ethnic conflict zone during the joint three-stage maneuvers.
The official added that during the first stage of the exercise Ukrainian and Moldovan peacekeepers will get familiarized with the training ground, while at the second and third stages will conduct engineering and firing exercises at roadblocks and other peacekeeping installations.
The planning conference will expectedly end on Friday.