MOSCOW, June 23. /ITAR-TASS/. Airlifting of paratroopers from the Volga River region’s Ulyanovsk airborne formation has started to an area of surprise drills in the Central Military District, the press service and information department of the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

“In the framework of surprise drills from the Central Military District, airplanes of the Russian Military and Transport Aviation started airlifting staff and military hardware of Ulyanovsk assault combat formation of Airborne Troops to the area of war games,” the press service and information department said.

“To airlift paratroopers to the designated areas at a distance of around 1,000km, more than ten military-transport airplanes Ilyushin Il-76 were used,” the department said.

Ulyanovsk paratroopers will be engaged in surprise drills jointly with 2nd and 41st all-arms Armies of the Central Military District. The drills will be held at firing ranges Chebarkulsky, Yurginsky and Totskoye.

This airborne brigade was put on full combat readiness on Sunday. The airborne brigade has marched to the area of loading on board the airplanes and has successfully loaded its paratroopers, military hardware and landing equipment on the airplanes for further airlifting.

The complex surprise drills of military forces in the Central Military District began on June 21 on the orders by Russian President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin.

Around 65,000 servicemen of military forces, more than 180 warplanes and around 60 units of military hardware are involved in surprise drills.