He underscored the need to improve all the important factors of modern war, round off the officers and soldiers' readiness and qualifications, form a new appearance of overall armed forces and reinforce the nation's defense potential through the exercises.

There is a single requirement of the exercises, that is, to show that armed forces are ready to protect the interests of the state and deal decisive blows at any provocation and threat to the state's security, he noted.

Every serviceman taking part in the drills is successfully fulfilling his combat duty to defend the country, he said, adding that those faithful to their duties and true experts who know the true worth of bravery and self-sacrificing spirit have always been pillars of ground and naval forces of Russia.