BORDER 2008 LOOKS PAST THE WAR IN GEORGIA
by Denis Telmanov
WPS Agency
What the Papers Say (Russia)
August 18, 2008 Monday
Russia
Armenian defense minister invites Georgian attache to observe CSTO
exercises
Border 2008 exercises taking place in Armenia; The latest phase of
Border 2008 – joint exercises for the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization – begins in Armenia today. The Georgian military attache
in Armenia has been invited to attend as an observer.
The latest phase of Border 2008 – joint exercises for the CIS
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – begins in Armenia
today. The next phase will involve live-fire exercises, and a meeting
of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers on August 22.
As we reported on July 30, the main aim of Border 2008 is to work out
what the CSTO could do to defend an allied state, Armenia, against
external aggression. The exercises involve around 4,000 military
personnel – including 1,500 Russian personnel from the 102nd military
base at Gyumri.
Major General Sergei Chuvakin, head of the CSTO Staff planning and
coordination directorate, has already arrived in Yerevan. He told us
that the current phase entails staff preparations for the practical
phase of the exercises, when Russian and Armenian personnel will
be firing at 1,500 targets at the Bagramian range. They plan to
use over 45,000 rounds of ammunition, including some aircraft-based
ammunition. Air power for Border 2008 is provided by 35 fighter jets,
attack aircraft, and helicopters.
CSTO Staff spokesman Vitali Strugovtsev told us that the Georgian
military attache in Armenia – Colonel Murtaz Gudzhedzhiani, appointed
in late February – has been invited to observe the firing exercises
carried out by Russian and Armenian troops. However, Major General
Chuvakin said that the Border 2008 headquarters has no information
about the Georgian attache’s presence.