TELEMBA PROVING GROUND /Buryatia/, September 12. /TASS/. Strategic bombers of Russia’s Aerospace Force Tupolev-95MS have successfully destroyed surface targets at a proving ground in Buryatia with cruise missiles in the Vostok-2018 exercise, the Defense Ministry told the media.

"Strategic bombers Tupolev-95MS of Russia’s Aerospace Force participating in the Vostok-2018 exercise have carried out cruise missile launches from an altitude of more than 5,000 meters at ground targets at the Telemba proving ground in the Republic of Buryatia," the Defense Ministry said.

The Tupolev-95MS bombers took off from an airdrome in the Far East located 2,000 kilometers away from the proving ground. Fighter jets Sukhoi-35S of the Eastern Military District provided protection. The Tupolev-95MS crews practiced refueling in flight from the Ilyushin-78 tanker plane.

Upon completion of their mission the crews returned to base, the Defense Ministry said.

A large scale exercise codenamed Vostok-2018 is underway on September 11-17 in Russia’s Far East and sea areas and adjoining areas of the Pacific. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu is in charge. Taking part in the exercise there are about 300,000 troops, more than 1,000 planes, helicopters and drones, up to 36,000 tanks, armored personnel carriers and other vehicles and up to 80 ships.