Large-Scale Military Trainings Planned in Abkhazia

Anatoly Zaytsev, chief-of-staff of the Abkhaz military, told Interfax that large-scale military training will take place in Abkhazia’s Sukhumi district on April 18-21.

According to Zaytsev, some 3000 troops, including the regular army and reserve troops, as well as the navy, airforce and tanks, will take part. He also said that the aim of the trainings is “to improve command and perfect the skills of the troops.”

The date of the trainings would either coincide with, or would be held on the eve of the summit of the secessionist leaders of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, scheduled to take place in the Abkhaz captial, Sukhumi.

These events would also be held on the eve of a GUAM summit in Chisinau, planned for April 24. The secessionist governments see GUAM, which includes Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova as a political and military threat.

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