22 June 2014, 12:41
© Photo: Vesti.ru
The Russian Air Force has stared large-scale airlifting of personnel and materiel in a combat readiness check for troops in the Central Military District, the Defense Ministry press service report. The combat readiness test will last from June 21 to 28. The task set by the president is to assess the military’s ability to perform their duties within existing time standards over the first 24 hours, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu said.
“The transfer of troops involves over 40 Antonov An-124 Ruslan, Ilyushin Il-76, Antonov An-22 and Antonov An-26 from the military aviation transport unit in Tver, Pskov, Taganrog and Orenburg air bases, which today alone will fly over 50 missions to transfer personnel and military hardware to various destinations,” a ministry report says.
Personnel and equipment from detachments of the 98th air-borne division and the 31st assault brigade of Air-Borne Troops are loaded at airdromes for subsequent transfer to the Chelyabinsk region where they will take part in an exercise with combined-arms units of the Central Military District, the press service says, Interfax reports.
Putin orders Russia’s Central Military personnel to prepare for combat readiness
Russian President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin has ordered a comprehensive surprise combat readiness test of the entire personnel of the Central Military District, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced at a conference at the Defense Ministry on Saturday. “In line with [Putin’s] orders, the Central Military District’s troops and also units and garrisons deployed on its territory have been put on full combat alert since 11:00 am today,” he said.
The troops will then be deployed at ranges and conduct exercises in line with their intended purpose, he said, Interfax reports.
The maneuvers will test the planning of the use of a group of forces, the movement of forces for long distances using combined transport means, and the deployment of command and logistic support systems.
Shoigu instructed Airborne Forces Commander Vladimir Shamanov to redeploy the Airborne Forces. 98th Division for 1,500 kilometers from Ivanovo to the Chelyabinsk region using military transport planes with an air drop at the Chebarkul range.
The defense minister also ordered that foreign military attaches be informed of the surprise combat readiness test.
“The return of the forces to their permanent stationing bases must be completed by July 1,” he said.
“The Air Forces commander [must] establish control over actions of the Air Forces and Air Defense Forces 2nd command during their redeployment to operational airfields and performance of combat training tasks, including the practicing of bomb-dropping and aerial refueling,” the defense minister said.
Shoigu ordered that reports on the course of the maneuvers be presented to him on a daily basis. He stressed particularly that proper safety precautions be taken and safekeeping of weapons and ammunition be ensured.
Over 65,000 troops, 5,500 combat vehicles to participate in Russian combat readiness test
Over 65,000 military servicemen and about 5,500 items of weapons and military hardware will be involved in an ongoing comprehensive surprise combat readiness test of the Russian Central Military District forces, says Valery Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian armed forces.
“Over 65,000 troops, about 5,500 weapon units and vehicles, over 180 planes, and about 60 helicopters will be involved in the test,” Gerasimov said at a conference with the Russian Defense Ministry command staff on Saturday.
The maneuvers are designed to test the training level of the troops in performing their duties through shooting practice, control exercises, the use of aircraft and airborne drops, Gerasimov said, Interfax reports.
