Group of forces in Crimea able to tackle tasks in off-shore maritime areas

A self-sufficient joint group of forces established in Crimea not only protects Russia’s interests on the peninsula and the Black Sea, but also allows tackling tasks in the off-shore maritime areas, Sergey Shoygu, Minister of Defense of Russia, said today, on March 30.

“The recently established group of forces in Crimea not only protects Russia’s interests on the peninsula and the Black Sea, but also allows tackling tasks in off-shore maritime areas,” he said. According to the minister, the self-sufficient group of forces comprises about 100 divisions, military units and organizations on the Crimean peninsula.

“At the request of the president, we were charged with deploying on the peninsula a self-sufficient joint group of forces able to reliably defend Russia’s national interests in the region. We accomplished the task at the end of 2014 and reported to the supreme commander-in-chief. A total of 96 divisions, military units and organizations were formed," Shoygu said.