MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax-AVN) - The Airborne Forces' units stationed in Ivanovo and Ulyanovsk will be airlifted to western Russia for a command-and-staff drill, a representative of the Russian Defense Ministry's information department told Interfax on Tuesday.
'The exercises of the Airborne Forces involve about 2,000 servicemen, more than 400 pieces of military and special hardware, and over 40 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces," the spokesman said.
"The deployment of over 2,000 paratroopers towards Russia's western borders is being prepared in the course of major drills of the Airborne Forces," he said.
The paratroopers stationed in Ivanovo and Ulyanovsk will practice offensive operations, sabotage and flexible defense on unfamiliar ranges of the Western Military District, he said.
Consistent with the drills' scenario, paratroopers will be airlifted to the practice area, jump down from military transport aircraft, seize airfields and other facilities of the simulated enemy, perform a multi-kilometer march, cross the water, and fire for effect using service-issue weapons.
'The command-and-staff exercise involving the Ivanovo and Ulyanovsk units of the Airborne Forces will end on July 7. It is supervised by the Airborne Forces' Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Nikolai Ignatov," the ministry spokesman said.