MINSK. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Belarus has scrambled military aviation to protect its borders, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said.
"The current planned aviation flights are part of national border protection in our airspace. The flights are being performed by pilots from the 50th mixed air base (Antonov An-26), the 116th air assault base (Yakovlev Yak-130), and the 61st fighter air base (Sukhoi Su-30SM). Pilots from the 116th and the 50th bases will fly in pairs during joint tactical flight practice," the Defense Ministry said.
It also announced plans to hold a live fire exercise with surface-to-air missile systems. "Surface-to-air missile artillery battalions of the 19th and 120th separate mechanized-infantry brigades are preparing for a tactical live-fire exercise with the Tunguska surface-to-air gun and missile system and the Igla man-portable surface-to-air missile system," the statement reads.