The Russian Defense Ministry will deploy additional units of Special Forces (spetsnaz) to the North Caucasus to strengthen security in the region, the ministry said on Thursday.

“Following the visit of Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to the Southern Military District, the decision was made to deploy additional army spetsnaz units in Stavropol and Kislovodsk to further enhance security in the south of the country,” the ministry said in a statement.

The number of additional units and their equipment will be determined by the Russian General Staff.

The Southern Military District is one of the four operational strategic commands of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The district comprises the territory of the former North Caucasus Military District, including the volatile republics of Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, as well as the territorial waters of the Black and Caspian seas.

According to unofficial reports, Russia currently deploys at least four army spetznaz brigades as well as several airborne and mountain brigades in the region.