Russian and Uzbek security troops on Saturday concluded three-day joint anti-terrorism exercises in southern Russia, which underscored growing ties between the Kremlin and the Uzbek government. The maneuvers held in the village of Molkino, which is outside the city of Krasnodar near the restive Caucasus mountains, were watched by both countries' defense ministers, who hailed the drills as professional and well coordinated. «Both Russia and Uzbekistan have faced a real threat of terrorism in the recent years; therefore, these exercises will help promote further growth of professionalism of the special units of both states,» Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
