The message reads, in part:
“It is important that these large-scale spectacular competitions have become a good tradition. Every year, they attract more and more servicemen from Russia and foreign countries, giving them an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their skills, endurance and staunchness as well as their ability to work in a team.
I am confident that the 2018 tournament will be held at a high organisational level, and the spectators will be pleased with the fair and uncompromising competition and tremendous victories. They will certainly contribute to the development of international military technical cooperation together with making the military service popular.”