CHEBARKUL TRAINING RANGE (Chelyabinsk region). June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - Military transport aircraft crews have accomplished rapid transportation of forces to designated areas in a surprise check of the combat readiness of the Central Military District, the Air Force and the Airborne Forces.
"The surprise exercise scenario envisaged rapid transportation of forces," Air Force Commander Viktor Bondarev said after the exercises on the Chebarkul training range in the Chelyabinsk region were over.
"The pending withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan may create certain circumstances along the southern boundaries of our home country," the commander said.
"We needed to be prepared," he added.
Antonov An-124-100 "Ruslan", Ilyushin Il-76 and Antonov An-22 and An-26 transported servicemen and hardware to the site of the exercises, he said.
"We transported an airborne division practically within two days and Il-76 planes performed 96 flights. We airlifted both servicemen and hardware," Bondarev noted.