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Central Russia airborne units seize airbase of hypothetical enemy during snap inspection

A snap inspection of the combat capability of forces of Russia's Central Military District began on Monday at a decision of the Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces

MOSCOW, September 11. /TASS/. About 900 airborne soldiers stationed in the city of Ivanovo, some 350 km to the east of Moscow, on Thursday seized an airbase of a hypothetical enemy as part of a snap inspection of combat readiness of the forces assigned to the Central Military District (CMD), the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters.

"In the framework of a snap inspection of combat readiness of the branches and services, a paratrooper unit of the 98th Guards Airborne Division received a task to be air-dropped in a designated area and to seize and airdrome of a hypothetical enemy in an effort to ensure the airlifting of the main forces of the division and transport aircraft there," the press service said.

"About 900 paratroopers made a trek to the Severny airdrome in the Ivanovo region where they embarked on the Ilyushin-76 jets and then did the airdropping at the Budikhino landing site in the Kostroma region.

"Upon landing, they immediately got down to fulfilling the assignments, which consisted of seizure of the enemy's facilities in the area of a hypothetical airdrome and incapacitation of its guards," the press service said.

Special attention was given in the course of the operation to the secrecy of landing and movements across the terrain.

A snap inspection of the combat capability of forces of Russia's Central Military District began on Monday at a decision of the Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces. Under the Constitution, the functions of the Supreme Commanders are vested in the President.

Units of the branches and services of the CMD and a number of Air Force, airborne and airlift aviation units in other military districts were placed on combat alert at 09:30 Moscow Standard Time (06:30 GMT). The snap inspection embraced more than 95,000 men and officers, more than 7,000 combat vehicles and other units of technology, and about 170 aircraft.