MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. The combat teams of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems based in Crimea are holding air defense drills as part of large-scale command and staff exercises in south Russia, the Southern Military District’s press office reported on Tuesday.
"The combat teams of S-400 ‘Triumf’ anti-aircraft missile systems accomplished the task of displacing launching and radar systems and moving to new positions," the press office said in a statement.
After deploying the missile systems on new combat positions, the teams determined their precise positioning on the terrain. Within the shortest time, the missile systems assumed combat duty and started detecting targets.
During the motorized march, Pantsyr air defense missile/gun systems provided defense for S-400 launchers against a notional enemy’s air attack. Subsequently, the anti-aircraft gunners will practice spotting, tracking and destroying enemy cruise missiles, according to the drills’ scenario.
Simultaneously, the teams of S-300 air defense systems based in the Rostov Region made a march under the cover of Pantsyr missile/gun complexes to the Ashuluk practice range for combat training launches.
Air Force and air defense drills
The drills are taking place on June 18-21 in the Southern Military District. Apart from surface-to-air missile systems, they involve composite aviation divisions based in the Rostov and Volgograd, Krasnodar and Stavropol Regions, and also in Crimea.
At five aviation training ranges, pilots will launch airborne missiles and rockets and deliver bomb strikes. They will take off from more than 10 aerodromes of the Southern Military District.
Under the aviation drills’ scenario, the aircraft will redeploy from their basic to operational aerodromes to dodge a notional enemy’s strike, after which they will deliver a retaliatory strike. Overall, the air maneuvers involve more than 100 aircraft and helicopters of the District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army.