ASHULUK, August 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Aerospace Defense Forces are practicing the repelling of a massive air missile strike as part of large-scale exercises at the Ashuluk testing range in southern Russia, involving surface-to-air missile systems field firing, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Igor Klimov told the press Wednesday.
“Today, S-300 (SA-21 Grumble) and S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air missile systems will carry out around 20 rocket launches. Air defense missile units are to repel an aggressor’s massive air missile strike and destroy high-altitude, low-altitude and ballistic targets,” Klimov said.
He added that the drills simulate real combat conditions with the enemy using the entire range of airspace attacks.
Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier reported that the exercise would involve some 800 Airspace Defense Forces servicemen and over 200 pieces of hardware, including S-300 (SA-21 Grumble) and S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) and Pantsir-S air defense systems.
Klimov also said that the drills involve six air defense and radio-technical regiments as well as Air and Missile Defense Command of the the Aerospace Defense Forces.
According to the Defense Ministry spokesman, almost all Air and Missile Defense Command staff are in Ashuluk, despite the ongoing celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Moscow’s Air Defense District. The commander of the Air and Ballistic Missile Defense Command Maj. Gen. Andrei Dyomin is in charge of the drills.
