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Air Force pilots destroy over 200 ‘enemy aircraft’ in Ladoga 2012 exercises

In all, there were over 50 day-time flights and more than 60 night-time flights; more than 150 guided missiles and 300 cannon projectiles were fired

MOSCOW, April 13 (Itar-Tass) — Air Force pilots destroyed over 200 ‘enemy aircraft’ in the Ladoga 2012 exercises of the Russian Western Military District, which ended on Friday, district spokesman Col. Andrei Bobrun told Itar-Tass.

“The pilots had to trace the targets themselves; they were not given target coordinates or parameters,” he said. “Also the pilots independently chose weapons to destroy the targets with.”

About 50 fighter jets, among them Mikoyan MiG-29STM and MiG-31 and Sukhoi Su-27, took part in the exercises. Illuminated air bombs airdropped from super-low to twelve kilometer heights simulated ‘enemy aircraft.’ The pilots acted solo or in twos and fired guided missiles and cannon projectiles.

In all, there were over 50 day-time flights and more than 60 night-time flights; more than 150 guided missiles and 300 cannon projectiles were fired.

“The exercises certified young pilots for guarding the Russian air space. They will be put on duty soon,” Bobrun said.

Ladoga 2012 started on Monday. Pilots based in Karelia, Kaliningrad, Kursk, Murmansk and Tver regions took part in the drill. They took off from the Karelia Besovets airfield and flew over the Lagoda training range and the coastal areas of Lake Ladoga.