The Georgian army began two weeks of military exercises with the United States and other partner countries today, a day before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visits the ex-Soviet nation. About 2,800 soldiers from the United States, Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia, Armenia and Georgia are taking part in the manoeuvres, with Washington dispatching an entire mechanised company including several Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks.<br/><br/>Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the drills are an important event for the South Caucasus republic. Russia and Georgia fought a war in August 2008 over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia. Moscow continues to garrison troops there and to support another breakaway region, Abkhazia. Pence plans to attend the drills and address participants on Tuesday.