MOSCOW. Aug 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov left for Astrakhan on Monday to observe the active stage of the Combat Commonwealth 2005 exercise, conducted by the CIS Joint Air Defense System forces.
General of the Army Vladimir Mikhailov, Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief, told Interfax-Military News Agency that the exercise, being held at the Ashuluk firing range, involved about 2,000 servicemen, over 40 aircraft, and S-300, S-125, and S-75 air defense systems.
"The exercise is aimed at refining interoperability of air defense forces, electronic warfare forces, and aviation," Mikhailov said.
He noted that the exercise envisioned live firing exercise of air defense systems. "Tactical aviation will deliver air strikes against enemy ground targets, while fighters will kill cruise missiles in the air," he said.
"On Monday and Tuesday the Ashuluk firing range will host air force and air defense forces units from Armenia, Belarus, Russia, and Tajikistan, since other CIS member-states conducted the exercise earlier in July and August," he said.
Mikhailov, tasked with supervising the exercise, said that it would be observed by CIS defense ministers and heads of a number of defense enterprises.