Russia kicks off the "Caucasus-2009" massive strategic military exercise in the North Caucasus area on June 29, local media reported.
The exercise, commanded by Gen. Nikolai Makarov, will be held until July 6 under the training plan of the Russian Armed Forces, said Itar-Tass news agency.
The two-stage exercise involves several branches of servicemen such as air force and air defense force, and covers a large area of the North Caucasus region including North Ossetia, Chechnya and Daghestan.
The exercise aims to evaluate the capabilities of Russia's southwestern military forces, and will take into consideration of the experiences gained from the brief conflict between Russia and Georgia last year.
The drill should help stabilize situation in South Russia and prevent Georgia's possible military actions against its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, said a high-ranking source from the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
"The incumbent Georgian leadership has not given up new military adventures with regard to Abkhazia and South Ossetia or attempts to resolve the territorial issue by armed force," the Interfax news agency quoted the source as saying.
Georgia and Russia fought a five-day war last August when Georgia attacked South Ossetia to retake the rebel region that borders Russia. In response, Moscow sent in troops to drive Georgian forces out of the region.
Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states two weeks after the conflict ended.
"In these conditions the Caucasus-2009 exercises will undoubtedly promote stabilization in both South Russia and the Caucasus as a whole," he said.
