ROSTOV-ON-DON. July 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The active phase of the Caucasus 2009 operational strategic exercises has started at Dagestan's Dalny training range owned by the North Caucasus military district, the military district's spokesman Lieut. Col. Andrei Bobrun told Interfax on Friday.
"According to the scenario of the exercises, a large armed group is surrounded by units of a Buinaksk-based motorized rifle brigade of the North Caucasus military district 45 kilometers from Makhachkala. The [simulated] terrorists categorically refuse to begin negotiations and to surrender," Bobrun said.
Federal forces commanders will then plan a special purpose operation aimed at eliminating the "terrorists", the spokesman said.
"At the moment, army helicopters, artillery and mine launchers are carrying out simulated strikes against the area where the militants have been surrounded," he added.