Russia Holds Major War Games In Caucasus
• CBS(AP)
Thousands of troops, backed by hundreds of tanks, artillery and other
heavy weaponry, began rumbling through the North Caucasus on Monday, as
Russia began its largest military exercises since last year's war with
Georgia.
The
Caucasus 2009 war games are being seen by many experts as a warning
shot for nearby Georgia, where the government says it has rearmed armed
forces and where NATO recently wrapped up its own exercises.
Experts
say the exercises may also be signal to the United States that Russia
will give no ground on its efforts to maintain an exclusive sphere of
influence in Georgia and other former Soviet republics. The games run
through July 6 _ the day that President Barack Obama arrives in Moscow
for a highly anticipated summit with Russia's Dmitry Medvedev.
Defense
Ministry official say more than 8,500 troops will take part, along with
nearly 200 tanks, armored vehicles, 100 artillery units and several
units
