BAKU. July 4 (Interfax-AVN) - Special tactical exercises of air defense units including live fire training have begun in units and formations of the independent all-arms army of the Nakhichevan autonomous republic of Azerbaijan, the press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"Air defense, anti-aircraft rocket and artillery troops were alerted. The exercises began with repulsion of the first air strikes of the imaginary enemy, with combat work at command posts," the statement says.
Air defense units were force marched to areas of deployment and occupied firing and starting positions to guarantee cover from an air attack for motorized rifle units on the move, the report says.
"In the course of the exercises, aerial targets of an imaginary enemy were destroyed by the Strela-3 man-portable air defense missile system (MANPADs) and 23-mm air defense installations," the Defense Ministry reported.