MOSCOW. Feb 18 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has announced plans to hold an exercise of the strategic deterrence forces, which will include missile launches, on February 19.
"A scheduled exercise of the strategic deterrence forces will take place on February 19 under the supervision of Russian Armed Forces Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin. Ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched in its course," the ministry said on Friday.
"The exercise will involve forces and hardware belonging to the Aerospace Forces, the Southern Military District, the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern Fleet, and the Black Sea Fleet," the ministry said.
"A scheduled exercise of the strategic deterrence forces aims at checking the preparedness of military commands and crews of missile systems, warships and strategic bombers to accomplish their missions and at verifying the reliability of weapons of strategic nuclear and conventional forces," the ministry said.