ASTRAKHAN (Sputnik) — Aerospace Forces Lt. Gen. Pavel Kurachenko told reporters that Russia had to review its airspace defense policy in light of new threats to Russia and its CIS allies.
"This concept will identify measures that need to be taken by the state and the military to ensure the security of our countries," the deputy commander said.
The defense plan has already been reviewed and amended by the allied countries, and a draft concept has been adopted by the Russian military's coordination committee, the general said. It is expected to be debated by the council of CIS defense ministers and adopted within a year.
Russia has long been leading efforts to build a joint air defense shield for the CIS bloc. An integrated air defense network was set up by ten member states in 1995 and currently comprises air defense units from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.