MOSCOW, August 22 (AVN) - Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev is expected to arrive at the Ashuluk testing ground in southern European Russsia on Wednesday to attend the Combat Commonwealth 2000 exercise, a spokesman for the CIS military co-operation co-ordination headquarters told the Military News Agency.
The main stage of this joint tactical air defence exercise with combat fires will be held on Thursday and Friday, the spokesman said. It aims to train actions of air defence units and forces on combat duty in a new area.
The defence ministers of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan will arrive at the testing ground early on Thursday, the spokesman said. In addition to supervising the training, the ministers will hold a meeting to discuss measures for stabilisation of the situation in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.