TBILISI. July 4 (Interfax-AVN) - The Georgian Defense Ministry will spend about $4 million on the large-scale Kavkasioni 2006 exercise, being held in southern Georgia, a source in the Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
"The large-scale military exercise, being held at the Orfolo firing range near the town of Akhaltsikhe, will cost 7-8 million laris (about $4 million)," he said.
According to him, ammunition will account for most of the expenditures.
He noted that Kavkasioni 2006, involving 8,000 servicemen, aviation, armor, and artillery, would be completed on July 15.
"The exercise is aimed at refining tactical teamwork at the level of companies, battalions, and now brigades," he said.
According to him, Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Levan Nikoleishvili personally heads the active stage of the exercise, being monitored by Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili.