Azernews.Az

By Gunay Hasanova

The large-scale exercises of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces entered the third day.

More than 60,000 members of military personnel, over 50 planes and helicopters, more than 150 tanks and armored vehicles, as well as up to 700 systems of missile and artillery forces are involved in the training.

Under the plan of the drills, movement of military equipment, warships, forces and means to the points of destinations have already been carried out.

Movement and regrouping of put on alert troops, command and control centers to the areas of operational use, means of combat aircraft to the reserve airfields, ships and boats of the Naval Forces to the operational areas, formations and military units of the Rocket and Artillery Troops to the temporary fire and starting positions have been completed.

Currently, the troops are fulfilling tasks on the effective use of modern means, control systems, weapons, and equipment in order to prevent possible actions of the conditional enemy.

The exercises are conducted according to the plan approved by Azerbaijan’s President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev in order to check the system of control over troops and weapons in the field.

The Azerbaijani Army, which today is considered the most modern army in the Caucasus, consists of Air Force and Air Defense Forces, the Navy, and the Land Forces.

The skills and combat readiness of the Azerbaijani army are growing year by year. The army building process in Azerbaijan is progressing as well.

The country’s armed forces regularly conduct military exercises since Azerbaijan remains in a state of war with Armenia, as Armenian forces occupy a 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

A ceasefire was signed in 1994, but negotiations still continue on a long-term peace agreement.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova

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