Air defense exercise at the Kapustin Yar range

The Russian military is conducting a tactical air defense exercise with live firing at the Kapustin Yar range in the Astrakhan Region of southern Russia.
Photo: An S-300V air defense missile system.

“The two-week annual service training in the Western Strategic Direction includes live firing and air defense units armed with the S-300, Buk, Tor, Osa, Tunguska and Strela-10 missile systems and also air defense artillery guns,” Defense Ministry spokesman Lt.-Col. Sergei Vlasov said.
Photo: An S-300V air defense missile system.

A crew preparing an S-300V missile system for target acquisition and destruction at the Kapustin Yar range.

The exercise has proceeded in two stages this year. The first stage, in March and April, involved the air defense units of the Southern and Eastern Military Districts.
Photo: Launching targets during the tactical air defense exercise at the Kapustin Yar range.

Drills for air defense units of the Western and Central Military Districts began in August and will continue into September.
Photo: An S-300V missile system in action.

The exercise aims to check air defense units’ readiness to repel air attacks in complex circumstances and to practice fire control and target destruction.
Photo: The crew of a self-propelled gun prepares a Buk-M1-2 air defense missile system for target acquisition and destruction during the exercise in Kapustin Yar.

The crew of a self-propelled gun prepares a Buk-M1-2 air defense missile system for target acquisition and destruction during the exercise in Kapustin Yar.

The crew of a self-propelled gun prepares a Buk-M1-2 air defense missile system for target acquisition and destruction during the exercise in Kapustin Yar.

After the exercise, the military will analyze the results and the effectiveness of the military’s air defense units during simulated hostilities.
Photo: Servicemen of the 167th Air Defense Training Center in new hot-weather fatigues.