The upcoming Russian-Algerian anti-terrorist exercises, Desert Shield 2022’, is a routine activity that’s not directed against third parties, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Tuesday.
The diplomat pointed out that the Russian-Algerian ground-force drills will take place in Algeria between November 16 and 28.
“These counterterrorism drills are a routine activity based on the approved program of our military partnership with Algeria,” she noted, emphasizing that “just like any other military exercise that Russia takes part in, they are not directed against third parties.”
The exercise will be held at a testing ground in Bechar Province.
Russia’s Southern Military District announced earlier that the drills were expected to involve about 80 troops from motorized infantry units stationed in the North Caucasus, as well as about 80 Algerian service members.
During the exercise, the two countries’ troops will practice searching for, detecting, and eliminating terrorist groups in desert areas.
Algeria’s specialized website Mena Defense said the type of exercises conducted by the Algerian and Russian paratroopers are “tactical.”
The website, run by Algerian security affairs expert Akram Kharief, reported that a military delegation visited the Caucasus in July 2021 to discuss the exercises in North Ossetia.
The first planning conference was held in the Russian city of Vladikavkaz in April to prepare for the upcoming military exercises.
Both sides coordinated the scenarios of the drill and the logistics.
The first joint Russian-Algerian tactical drills, held in Russia’s North Ossetia region in October 2021, involved about 200 Russian and Algerian troops, as well as some 40 pieces of military and special equipment.
The Southern Military District’s 2022 combat training plan includes the participation of the district’s troops in joint drills with the armed forces of Algeria, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan, TASS reported.
Algeria has not issued any official statement about the drills.
However, sources interested in the Algerian-Russian military partnership said the objectives and outlines of the drills were discussed during a March 25 visit to Algeria by the Director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Army Gen. Dmitry Shugaev.
Shugaev held talks with the Chief of Staff of the Algerian army Lieutenant General Said Chanegriha and discussed bilateral military cooperation, the Algerian defense ministry said in a statement, adding that they exchanged views on issues of common interest.
Observers said Algeria’s choice of the location has a political and strategic significance.
According to some observers, the exercises are a response to the “African Lion” military drills, which took place in Morocco in June and caused uproar in Algeria due to Israel’s participation.
