58th Combined Arms Army of Russia’s North Caucasian Military District launched large-scale military exercises on February 18 “in immediate proximity of the border with South Ossetia,” the Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported on February 20.

“The real goals of these maneuvers, of course, have not been unveiled. But much can be guessed from what has already become public. In particular, as an aide to commander of the 58th Army Aleksandr Koval told journalists, at the first stage of the exercises a convoy of armored vehicles and military vehicles will be sent from the capital of [Russia’s] North Ossetia [Vladikavkaz] to the Trans-Caucasus Highway, linking Russia with Georgia. Simultaneously, the landing of tactical paratrooper groups is envisaged in the mountains ,” the Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes.

According to the paper, the Russian peacekeeping battalion deployed in the South Ossetian conflict zone is part of one of the motorized rifle divisions of the 58th Army.

“Headquarters of the 58th Army does not specify whether personnel from this battalion is included or not in the scenario of the exercises,”

According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, these exercises being conducted by the Russian troops are a “show of force” against the background of tensions in Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia.