MAIKOP, North Caucasus. Feb 21 (Interfax-AVN) - A command post exercise (CPX) of the 131st separate motorized rifle brigade started at a proving range near Maikop in the Adygean autonomous region on Thursday, a spokesman for the brigade headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The exercise is led by Hero of Russia Lieutenant General Mukhriddin Ashurov, deputy commander of the North Caucasus military district in charge of combat training and chief of the district's combat training department. Apart from the brigade units the exercise involves operations groups of the Interior Ministry troops and the North Caucasus regional border guard department. In The Adygean military commissioner's office is taking part in the war games, too, to check the readiness of its departments to recruit reservists and mobilize national economy facilities in an emergency period.
The main aim of the exercise is to practice accomplishment of peacekeeping functions in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone. Moreover, the brigade is accomplishing missions related to the elimination of rebel groups and prevention of sabotage and terrorist acts in its stationing area.
The units involved in the exercise are analyzing data on the current situation, a spokesman for the exercise headquarters said.
According to Ashurov, "the exercise takes place against the background of intensive use of electronic warfare means by the maneuver enemy." "It is especially difficult to maintain permanent control over units in such conditions," he said.
Units of the brigade have arrived at the site of the exercise being supervised by field control points.