9 Thousand Servicemen to Participate in North Caucasus Military Training - 27 March, 2003

About nine thousand servicemen will take part in military training in the North Caucasus and the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was announced by the press office of the Russian Defense Ministry yesterday.

Training will last from March 28 to April 4. It is part of the 2003 plan for the Russian armed forces. Troops from the North Caucasus Military District will be taking part as well as subdivisions of the Interior Ministry's forces and those of the Ministry for Emergencies and other ministries and departments. The Defense Ministry's press office added that training would include discussion of 'the organisation and coordination of the armed forces in suppressing the activity of illegal armed groups.' They will also discuss ways of assisting local administrations in the South Federal District in the aftermath of natural disasters, maintaining law and order in these areas and also various ways of helping the local population.