ZARYA VILLAGE, Moscow region. Oct 27 (Interfax-AVN) - More than 40 airplanes from standby units of the CIS joint air defense system took part in command and staff exercises on Wednesday, Russian Air Force main staff chief Lt. Gen. Vadim Volkovitsky told journalists.
The exercises involved groups of the Russian Air Force main command, and the air defense command, as well as Air Force commanders from other CIS member states, Volkovitsky said.
The command of the Russian Baltic Fleet's aerospace defense brigade participated in the maneuvers as well.
"The exercises centered on a variety of training issues, including the need to improve cooperation between standby units during combat missions, as well as the practical work of commanders and staffs in different situations," the general said.
"The main efforts were aimed at countering terrorist threats," Volkovitsky said.
During the exercises, tactical and strategic aircraft acted as an imaginary adversary's airplanes, while transport airplanes played the role of civilian jets accused of entering a country's airspace illegally. Combat and transport planes also acted as hijacked airliners.
The exercises were held in the airspace above Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Ukraine.