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Polish specialists to make TOS observation flight over Russia and Belarus

MOSCOW, March 31. /ITAR-TASS/. A Polish mission is to make an observation flight aboard a Ukrainian An-30B observation plane over the territories of Russia and Belarus under the provisions of the international Treaty on Open Skies (TOS), Sergei Ryzhkov, head of the national Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, told Itar-Tass.

The TOS observation activities will be carried out from March 31 to April 5, he added. "During the flight along an agreed air route, Russan specialists on board the plane will monitor strict compliance with the coordinated parameters of the flight and the use of TOS-envisioned observation instrumentation," Ryzhkov said.

The observation plane An-30B belongs to the class of aircraft that are not designed to carry any weapons, he emphasized.

"The plane and the onboard observation insrumentation (aerophoto cameras) underwent an internationa inspection involving Russian specialists. This rules out the use of technical means that are not envisaged by TOS, Ryzhkov pointed out.

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