ROSTOV-ON-DON, March 13 (AVN) - Russian Air Force Commander Anatoly Kornukov on Tuesday awarded 18 servicemen medals and orders for courage displayed during the Chechnya campaign, Lieutenant General Yuri Rulevski, Air Force chief personnel officer, told the Military News Agency.
Kornukov handed the awards in the headquarters of the 4th air force and air defence army in Rostov-on-Don. The commander is on a working trip through the North Caucasus.
A total of 2,000 Air Force servicemen have been awarded state decorations for participation in the anti-guerrilla operation in the North Caucasus, Rulevski said.
During his working trip, Kornukov met with the North Caucasus military district commander, Colonel General Gennady Troshev, to discuss employment of aircraft in the interests of the federal troops in Chechnya, as well as issues of Air Force-Land Forces interoperability.
Kornukov visited the command post of the 4th air force and air defence army and inspected the work of duty shifts and condition of the command post's equipment. He also visited the Rosvertol plant that produces MI-24 Hind, main army aviation combat helicopters, and MI-26 Halo, the world's most powerful heavy-lift choppers.