Since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in February-March 2014 and its subsequent involvement in destabilizing southeastern Ukraine, Russia’s Armed Forces frequently conduct force generation close to the border. In March, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered a snap inspection of combat readiness across Russia’s system of Joint Strategic Commands (Obyedinennyye Strategi­ches­koye Komandovanie – OSK)/Military Districts (MD), with the movement of troops and heavy equipment especially close to Ukraine’s border.