Putin orders large-scale military exercises in Black Sea

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of large-scale Russian military exercises in the Black Sea region on Thursday, his spokesman said, in a move that may create tensions with Russia's post-Soviet neighbours Ukraine and Georgia.

Putin issued the order to start the previously unannounced manoeuvres at 4 a.m. Moscow time (4 a.m. British Time) as he flew back from an international summit in South Africa, his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters by telephone.