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Russia’s General Staff chief checks Moscow air defense readiness to repel enemy strikes

The check involves about 45,000 troops and around 1,700 pieces of military hardware, including 150 aircraft and 200 antiaircraft missile systems

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. Chief of the Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov has checked the preparedness of the Aerospace Force control center and the united air defense and anti-ballistic missile defense command post to operate amid possible air strikes from various directions.

"Officers of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces have checked the issues of the joint control of the grouping of antiaircraft missile forces and aviation in providing cover for facilities and protecting the airspace when repelling strikes from various directions," the Defense Ministry said in a statement obtained by TASS.

The chief of Russia’s General Staff arrived at the Aerospace Force control center and at the command post as part of the Aerospace Force’s snap combat readiness check. Gerasimov also heard a report by Aerospace Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev on the fulfilment of assignments by the Moscow united air defense and ABM formation, the statement said.

The Russian Aerospace Force’s sudden combat readiness check is being held on February 7-9 by decision of Russian President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin.

Overall, the check involves about 45,000 troops and around 1,700 pieces of military hardware, including 150 aircraft and 200 antiaircraft missile systems.