By Hai Yang, Lu Jingli

Russia began its massive "Caucasus-2009" military exercises in the North Caucasus area bordering Georgia on Monday.

The move, analysts say, aims to help stabilize the situation in South Russia and prevent possible Georgian military action against its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Similar to Soviet Exercises

The exercises, commanded by Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of Russia's general staff, run until July 6 under the guidance of the Russian Armed Forces, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

A total of 8,500 servicemen, 200 tanks, 450 armored personnel carriers and 250 artillery guns are involved in the drills, Andrei Bobrun, a spokesman for the North Caucasus military district, told Itar-Tass.

Several branches, including units from the North Caucasus military district, the air force, the air defense force, airborne troops, the Caspian Flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet, are participating in the drills, Bobrun said.

The maneuvers, which are covering a wide territory including the Krasnodar and Rostov regions, as well as North Ossetia and Chechnya, assume that terrorists are attempting to cross the Russian border in several directions by land and sea.

The terrorists are expected, too, to stage several attacks on important transportation and communications hubs and occupy several districts in North Caucasus.

The troops participating in the exercises are expected to thwart the terrorists' plans, Bobrun said.

"During the exercise, the troops will practice a wide range of military measures aimed at ensuring security for Russian citizens, main transport and energy routes, strategically important infrastructure, and protecting Russia's economic interests in the southwest region," Bobrun told the RIA Novosti news agency.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Kalmykov said the exercises are being conducted on a large scale similar to drills that were held during the Soviet period, Itar-Tass reported.

Strained situation in North Caucasus

Although the Kremlin's operation against separatists and terrorists has officially ended, militant attacks still plague the North Caucasus region.

A series of terrorist attacks and killings have occurred this month, including the June 5 fatal shooting of Adilgirei Magomedtagirov, Dagestan's interior minister.

The frequent attacks and escalating violence have raised the eyebrows of Russian authorities. Following an assassination attempt on Ingushetian President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov that media attributed to militants, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with Federal Security Service head Alexander Bortnikov and Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev.

Medvedev, who ordered the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service to investigate the attack, said he would send his envoy to Ingushetia to supervise the situation.

Analysts say one pivotal goal of the "Caucasus-2009" drills is to conduct anti-terror operations and root out militants in order to help stabilize the social and economic situation in southern Russia.