Russian Army units in the south and west, as well as the Air Force and the Navy's northern fleet, have been placed on high alert as part of a massive snap exercise aimed at checking the troops' readiness, Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday.

At a press briefing with top military commanders, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated the move came by way of "the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces" — Vladimir Putin — and that "Troops in the Southern Military District, some units of the Western and Central Military Districts, as well as the Northern Fleet, the Air Force and the Airborne Troops, are to be put on full alert."

Shoigu said the war games, which are slated to run through August 31, will allow troops to be prepared to "defend Russia's interests amid emerging security threats," — meaning those in the western and southwestern regions where the Russian units are now on high alert.