MOSCOW. Dec 18 (Interfax) - Russian MiG-31 long-range interceptor aircraft have been deployed in Anadyr, Chukotka, as part of their mission to guard the airspace over the Arctic, Russian Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Sergei Avakyants said.
"Groups of MiG-31 naval air force planes entered combat duty in the Arctic on December 1. We perfectly understand how important this region is to Russia. That's why, relevant infrastructure has been deployed at the airfield in Anadyr that will allow our forces to perform uninterrupted air defense duties," Avakyants said in an interview with the Russian Defense Ministry's Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
Anadyr, located in far north-eastern Russia, is the administrative center of the Chukchi Autonomous District. The eastern part of Chukotka has a sea border with the United States.
MiG-31 is a supersonic long-range interceptor aircraft designed for long air patrolling missions and countering high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, strategic bombers and low-flying targets. The aircraft can simultaneously destroy six aerial targets and track down up to ten.
The Russian Armed Forces are receiving upgraded MiG-31BM planes. Interfax said that this aircraft in the MiG-31K modification has become the first plane carrying a hypersonic weapon - the Kinzhal missile system.
Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers relocated to Anadyr in 2018, 2019, and 2020, during training exercises.
The Russian Northern Fleet earlier reported measures to bolster Russia's military infrastructure in the Arctic.