The Russian Airborne Forces launched live-fire combat exercises involving the Black Sea Fleet and the Aerospace Forces, and where three divisions were simultaneously deployed for the first time, the Airborne Forces commander said Monday.

Col. Gen. Andrey Serdyukov told reporters the large-scale command-staff drills involve over 2,500 airborne troops and some 600 pieces of hardware.

"For the first time in the history of the Russian Army within the framework of Airborne Forces exercises, three of our divisions were simultaneously alerted and partially deployed in Crimea with authorized weapons and materiel," Serdyukov said.