MOSCOW: The Russian president’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Thursday that an order had been issued by the President Vladimir Putin to launch military exercises in the Black Sea region, a move that may create tensions with Russia’s post-Soviet neighbors Ukraine and Georgia.
Putin issued the order at 4 a.m. Moscow time (12.00 a.m. EDT) as he flew back from an international summit in South Africa, the spokesman said.
DND