TASS. November 21. The crews of the second squadron of the Central Military District’s air regiment stationed in the Chelyabinsk Region in the Urals have started their first training flights aboard the latest Sukhoi Su-34 multi-role fighter-bombers, the District’s press office reported on Thursday.

"During the flights, the pilots are learning to operate the latest aircraft, practicing take-offs, landings, air reconnaissance and also inter-operability with the flight control group," the press office said in a statement.

In October, the composite aviation regiment of Russia’s Central Military District stationed in the Chelyabinsk Region completed its rearmament with Su-34 generation 4++ fighter-bombers. The last three planes were redeployed to the Chelyabinsk Region, thus setting up the second squadron of Su-34s.

The flight and ground personnel who will operate and service Su-34 planes have been retrained for the new aircraft at the Lipetsk state aviation personnel training center and received all the necessary certificates.

The Su-34 multirole supersonic fighter-bomber is designated to effectively strike enemy ground and air targets day and night in any weather conditions.

The Su-34 carries long-range air-to-surface and air-to-air missile armament with the multi-channel employment capability. The Su-34 has an operating range of 4,000 km, can develop a maximum speed of 1,900 km/h and is capable of carrying a weapon payload of up to 8 tonnes. The Su-34 is half as noisy as earlier models.