Secessionist Abkhaz authorities plan artillery drills on March 1-5, Russian online news service, Kavkazsky Uzel, reported, based on a statement by Chief-of-Staff of the Abkhaz armed forces Gen. Anatoly Zaytsev.

Gen. Zaytsev said live rounds would be used, starting March 4 with 100 artillery pieces, a tank batallion and 2,000 reserve troops involved. The drills will take place at Nagvalou military range in the Ochamchire region of Abkhazia.

According to Zaytsev, troops will learn the use of defensive artillery fire and how it can be used to repulse an enemy attack.