Russia alerted 2,500 soldiers and 600 units of equipment in the annexed Crimea

The command-staff exercise of the Airborne Forces of Russia with the participation of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and the forces of the Aerospace Forces started in the annexed Crimea. This was stated by the commander of the Airborne Troops Andrey Serdyukov to journalists, - RIA-Novosti reports.

The exercise takes place at Opuk training area. It is noted that three large units were simultaneously alerted and partially repositioned to the annexed Crimea with standard armament and equipment for the first time within the framework of the Airborne Forces exercise.

According to the general, servicemen of the Novorossian Air Assault Division, as well as Kamyshynskaya and Ulan-Udenskaya Separate Air Assault Brigades are involved in the exercise. More than 2,500 paratroopers and about 600 units of military equipment were alerted in total.

Serdyukov explained that the paratroopers will work out the actions of disposal of the illegal armed formations and regular troops of the imaginary enemy.

"The paratroopers will work out various ways of counterairborne defence in cooperation with the forces of the Black Sea Fleet. Then they will complete the destruction of the enemy in the depth of the peninsula with the support of the Aerospace Forces", — he said.

The general explained the need for such maneuvers with "an increased terrorist threat" without specifying from which side.