President Vladimir Putin, at 8.00 AM, Moscow local time, issued an order, according to which unexpected exercise of the Northern Fleet and airborne units began. The exercise involves 38 thousand soldiers, along with 41 navy vessels, including 15 submarines and 110 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

The scenario of the exercise is unknown. All we know is that the Northern Fleet’s  readiness to defend Russia in the Arctic region is to be tested. Within the scope of the exercise, the quantity of Russian Forces stationed in Novaya Zemlya and Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa islands will be increased. What is more, the operations shall involve a fight with a simulated group of the enemy naval forces.

Another unexpected exercise, involving ca. 4000 troops, also took place in the Central Military District. According to the information released by the Russian MoD, aim of the exercise was to test the level of combat readiness of the artillery and mechanized infantry units. These units were deployed, along with the equipment, from the place where they were permanently stationed to the area of exercise deployment, within 3 hours.