On March 12-17, 2018, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces will conduct large-scale military exercises with the participation of various units of the Azerbaijani army. Minval.az reports this citing the press service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.
Up to 25,000 servicemen, up to 250 tanks and other armored vehicles, about 1000 different caliber artillery rockets, reactive systems of a volley fire, 50 units of different purpose aviation will be involved.
According to analyst Taron Hovhannisyan, the exercises are one of the annual planned trainings in Azerbaijan: “Perhaps they will show and test the recently acquired military equipment. For instance, last year they displayed the military equipment acquired from the Czech Republic. If we follow their statements, there have been more such exercises with even more troops: for example, in 2016, it was noted that up to 60,000 troops and military equipment would be involved. Judging from their statements, we can say that there has always been the same quantity during major exercises.
The only difference in these exercises that is significant is that, according to the scenario of the exercises stated after April 2016, the exercises held in Azerbaijan were of attacking character, and of counter-attacking in Nakhijevan. And the currently exercises launched have counter-attacking nature based on the statement. That is, conventionally speaking, they are trying to regain the heights occupied by the enemy”.
Arpine SIMONYAN
