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Military drills

Nearly 8,000 people take part in anti-aircraft drills in eastern Russia

The drills will allow to identify the most competent crews that could later participate in the Keys to the Sky contest during the 2017 International Army Games

© Vitaliy Nevar/TASS

VLADIVOSTOK, March 3. /TASS/. Anti-aircraft drills have begun at five shooting ranges in Russia’s Eastern Military District, located in the Republic of Buryatia, the Sakhalin region, the Amur region and the Primorsky region, head of the military district’s press service Colonel Alexander Gordeyev told TASS on Friday. According to him, the drills involve nearly 8,000 people and almost 1,000 units of military hardware.

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"Around 8,000 will take part in the exercises that involve about 1,000 units of military equipment, including 120 aircraft. Besides, various types of anti-aircraft systems including the S-300, Osa, Strela-10 and Tor-M2U air defense missile systems as well as the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft artillery weapon systems and the Shilka antiaircraft guns, will also be used," he elaborated.

According to Gordeyev, during the active phase of the drills, combat crews will exercise in acquiring, tracking and identifying small fast moving targets missiles as well as tackle issues concerning combat duty. Simulated air targets flying at a speed of 700 meters per second will be used to engage the Strela-10M missile systems and the Igla man-portable missile systems.

The drills will allow to identify the most able crews that could later participate in the Keys to the Sky contest during the 2017 International Army Games, Gordeyev added.

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