ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 15. /TASS/. Combat aircraft of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army thwarted an amphibious and airborne assault force’s landing onto the Crimean coast and destroyed its naval group in drills, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District reported on Wednesday.
"Over 50 aircraft and helicopters practiced accomplishing combat training missions for destroying enemy naval groupings, striking an amphibious assault force on the coast and thwarting the landing of airborne troops in Crimea," the press office said in a statement.
The crews of 20 Mi-35 and Ka-52 army air force strike helicopters and also a wing of Su-25 attack aircraft wiped out the notional enemy’s assault force that had landed onto the coast, the Southern Military District specified.
The command of the Air Force and Air Defense Army involved two wings of Su-24M and Su-34 bombers and about 10 Su-27M3 fighter jets to strike the enemy naval groupings at sea, the statement says.
Earlier, 10 Su-27P and Su-30SM fighters of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army and the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation practiced repelling a notional enemy’s air attack near Crimea as part of the drills.
The three-day tactical Air Force drills are being held as part of a combat readiness check of aviation units stationed in Crimea.