The Russian military said Tuesday it had launched exercises involving some 6,000 troops and at least 60 fighter jets in southern Russia near Ukraine and in Moscow-annexed Crimea.
The southern military district described the live-fire drills as a combat readiness check, as tensions rage between Moscow and the West over Crimea.
"Units will practice carrying out a wide range of tasks, including the organisation of comprehensive support for tactical exercises," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"Combat firing exercises will also be held using all types of aviation, missile divisions and ship groups of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla."
Fighter jets and bombers will practise carrying out air strikes "against targets at the maximum distance", among other tasks, Russian news agencies said, quoting the defence ministry.
The drills will take place in Russian-annexed Crimea and the southern Rostov and Krasnodar regions.
There was no indication of how long the exercises would last.
The West is accusing Russia, which has massed 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border, of preparing a potential invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.
The troop build-up has sparked the biggest crisis in East-West ties since the Cold War.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia, Ukraine Exchange 95 Prisoners Of War Record Heat Temperatures In Ukraine After Russian Attacks On Power Plants US Urges India To "Utilize" Ties With Russia, Tell Putin To End Ukraine War World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Why BJP Lost Lok Sabha Polls In Uttar Pradesh - 6 Reasons In Party Report "Re-Exam Only On Concrete Footing": Supreme Court On NEET-UG Row "Avoid Travel": India Issues Advisory For Nationals In Bangladesh Amid Unrest 'Dark Comets' May Pose Bigger Threat Than Previously Thought To Earth "NEET-UG Re-Test Only If Sanctity Lost On Large Scale": Supreme Court Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.