China-Russia drill enters battle planning phase

CHELYABINSK? - The China-Russia joint drill, code-named Peace Mission-2013, enters the phase of battle planning Saturday as China's last troops arrived at the designated area.

Peace Mission-2013, which takes place in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountainous region from July 27 to August 15, has three phases -- troop deployment, battle planning and simulated combat.

As the exercises will mainly be held at the Chebarkul combined training range and Russia's participating troops are from this area, the first phase focuses on the deployment of Chinese troops.

Two Mi-171 transport helicopters and four Z-9 armed helicopters from a Chinese army aviation regiment arrived Thursday at the Shagol airport. The first and second railway-transported troops from the Chinese side arrived on Friday afternoon. Five JH-7A aircraft of the Chinese Air Force arrived at the Shagol Airport on Friday night.

"The second phase will focus on issues such as coordinating campaign intention, making decisions, preparing plans and organizing coordination, which will lay the foundation for the third phase," said Shi Xiangyuan, chief director of the Chinese side and deputy commander of Shenyang military area command of the People's Liberation Army.