YEKATERINBURG, February 1. /TASS/. The teams of S-300 ‘Favorit’ and S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile systems from the Central Military District’s air defense formations assumed new launch positions during drills that kicked off in three Russian regions, the District’s press office reported on Tuesday.

The drills for anti-aircraft gunners kicked off in the Republic of Khakassia in Eastern Siberia, the Novosibirsk Region in Western Siberia and the Saratov Region in Russia’s south, the press office specified.

"The personnel of air defense units stationed in the Saratov and Novosibirsk Regions and the Republic of Khakassia got the launchers out of a notional enemy’s strike and deployed firing positions in new combat alert sites," the press office said in a statement.

In the course of tactical drills, the combat teams of S-400 ‘Triumf’ and S-300 ‘Favorit’ surface-to-air missile systems will practice interoperability of two types of air defense weapons in a single air defense network and accomplish about 30 combat training tasks of repelling enemy air strikes against vital regional military, industrial and administrative facilities, the statement says.

The drills will come to an end at the end of the week. The maneuvers involve about 1,000 troops from among combat teams, command posts and headquarters officers and also over 200 items of armament and military hardware, the press office specified.

Russia’s S-300 and S-400 air defense systems

The S-300 ‘Favorit’ surface-to-air missile system is designated to defend the state’s vital facilities and its armed forces against massive strikes by existing and future aircraft, strategic cruise missiles, tactical and theater ballistic missiles and other air attack weapons across the entire range and speeds of their combat employment, including under intensive active and passive jamming.

Russia’s S-400 Triumf is the latest long-and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of up to 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and jamming.

The Central Military District is the largest in Russia. It is based on the territory of the Volga, Urals and Siberian integrated federal districts and 29 Russian regions. Structurally, the Central Military District also includes some overseas facilities: the 201st military base in Tajikistan, the Kant integrated military base in Kyrgyzstan and units stationed on the territory of Kazakhstan.