[1] The main purpose of the exercise was to assess combat readiness in the Southwest district of Russia and to improve interaction of military administrations in the North Caucasus.
"The incumbent Georgian leadership has not given up new military adventures with regard to Abkhazia and South Ossetia or attempts to resolve the territorial issue by armed force," the Interfax news agency quoted the source as saying.
[citation needed] According to Deputy Defence Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Kolmakov the exercises were adjusted as a result of the recent NATO war games that were held from 6 May to 3 June in Georgia.
Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Nalbandov, said that "holding of such maneuvers against the background of explosive situation will only contribute to further tensions".
[3] According to a Western military attaché in Tbilisi, interviewed by the International Crisis Group researchers, Russia's decision to use several sites in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, during the drills "could further stoke tensions.