OREANDA-NEWS. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin issued an order to begin the large-scale military exercises in the Black Sea area.

The exercises will involve up to 7,000 military personnel, over 30 warships based in Sevastopol and Novorossiisk, aviation, rapid deployment airborne troops, marines and the special forces of the General Staff.

The exercises' main objective is to assess combat readiness and coordination among the various branches of the Armed Forces.