MOSCOW, March 7 (UPI) -- Russian media reported Friday that Russia's military has begun "large-scale air defense drills at its southern testing range of Kapustin Yar."
The commencement of air defense exercises follows the conclusion of snap combat readiness drills ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed the exercises were not related to Ukraine or tensions between Russia and the West concerning Crimea.