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Russian inspectors to make two flights over US territory

A group of Russian inspectors is to make two consecutive observation flights over the U.S. territory onboard a Tu-154M Lk-1 aircraft

MOSCOW, August 26 (Itar-Tass) — A group of Russian inspectors will make two observation flights over the U.S. territory, a source at the Russian Defense Ministry press service told Itar-Tass on Sunday.

“A group of Russian inspectors is to make two consecutive observation flights over the U.S. territory onboard a Tu-154M Lk-1 aircraft in a period from August 26 to September 10 under the Open Skies Treaty. The planes will take off from the U.S. airfields of Wright-Patterson and Travis,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“Russian and American experts will jointly exercise control over the use of equipment and surveillance systems on board of the plane in compliance with the existing agreements,” the Russian Defense Ministry clarified.

“Russian representatives are going to make the 21st and 22nd observation flights over countries signatories to the Treaty in 2012,” the Russian Defense Ministry went on to say.

Russia signed the Open Skies Treaty on March 24, 1992. Its signatories include 34 countries members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). They have the right to fly over each other’s territories to monitor military activities. Such practices continue strengthening inter-state trust in the field of arms control.