The provincial defense zone exercise will take place in August 2017.

(Baonghean.vn) - The 2017 regional defense exercise was themed "The military and people of Nghe An province cooperate with the main forces of the Military Region to defeat the enemy's 'peaceful evolution' strategy, riots, overthrow attempts, and strategic offensives, firmly protecting the regional defense area." The exercise included provincial-level and district-level regional defense exercises.

The provincial defense zone exercise will take place in three phases: Phase 1 involves transitioning the armed forces into a state of combat readiness; transitioning the locality into a state of national defense; transitioning the armed forces from a regular state of combat readiness to a high state of combat readiness, and transitioning the locality into a state of national defense emergency; transitioning the armed forces from a high state of combat readiness to a state of full combat readiness, and transitioning the locality into a wartime state; and organizing the relocation and evacuation of a portion of Party organizations and people in key areas to evacuation zones.

Phase 2 involves organizing and preparing for defensive operations. Phase 3 includes practical defensive operations (countering enemy attacks on coastal and border districts and towns; attacking enemy positions and key defensive areas).

Regarding district-level defense zone exercises, phases 1 and 2 are similar to provincial-level defense zone exercises; phase 3 will include operational plans tailored to the specific circumstances of each locality.

Overview of the conference. Photo: Canh Nam.

At the conference, delegates unanimously agreed with the defense exercise plan. However, local authorities also raised some concerns about funding and land availability for establishing command centers and key wartime infrastructure (tunnels, trenches, etc.).

Besides thoroughly implementing the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Committee's directive on carrying out the regional defense exercise, the conference also announced decisions to establish the Steering Committee and its subcommittees; approved the plan and assigned tasks to the members of the Steering Committee and the localities participating in the provincial regional defense exercise.

Soldiers practice the kneeling firing position with AK submachine guns, lesson 1. (Archival photo)

Concluding the conference, Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong emphasized that building a strong and comprehensive defense zone, preventing and thwarting the plots and activities of "peaceful evolution" and subversive riots by hostile forces, maintaining political stability, and firmly protecting the locality in all situations are extremely important tasks in military and national defense work. Therefore, the Standing Committee, agencies, units, and localities need to quickly implement the Directive of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee.

For the subcommittees including the content committee, the assurance committee, the security committee, and the secretariat, it is essential to thoroughly understand the Military Region's directives in order to advise the Provincial Party Standing Committee on preparing effective exercise content... Agencies, units, and localities should consider this a crucial task in 2017, prioritizing the arrangement of work to fully participate in meetings, thereby promptly grasping the tasks of their respective units.

Following the conference, all departments, agencies, and localities are requested to thoroughly understand the tasks assigned by the Steering Committee. Any difficulties should be reported promptly to the standing agency (Provincial Military Command) for timely resolution, in order to best prepare for the regional defense exercise.

The regional defense exercise is expected to take place over three days (from August 1-3, 2017).

Canh Nam