RYAZAN, Central European Russia, January 22 (AVN) - Major-General Alexander Popov, deputy Airborne commander in charge of peacekeeping force, will arrive here on Wednesday to hold the muster of peacekeepers that are about to leave for Bosnia, a spokesman for the Airborne Staff told the Military News Agency.
The muster will be held at the 245th airborne peacekeepers training centre not far from Ryazan, the spokesman said. Its graduates will soon be added to Russia's 1st separate airborne brigade which is a part of SFOR. They have undergone a two-month training course and mastered special skills necessary for peacekeeping operations.
As many as 600 servicemen will be replaced during the forthcoming rotation. Among them are 100 officers, 50 warrant officers and 450 professional soldiers who have signed contracts on service in the Balkans with the Defence Ministry.
The rotation will start on Thursday and end on January 31. Russian IL-76 Candid transports will airlift 1,200 paratroopers and about 50t of cargo to Bosnia and back. The rotation will be supervised by Popov.