KHANKALA, May 3 (AVN) - Federal artillery inflicted strikes on 11 targets exposed by a MI-8 Hip helicopter equipped with an IR imager overnight to Thursday, a spokesman for the unified federal headquarters told the Military News Agency.
According to preliminary data, a masked strong-point was fully eliminated and two rebel groups scattered. Results of the strikes are being verified.
SU-24 Fencer and SU-25 Frogfoot planes have accomplished no sorties during the past 24 hours. An AN-30 Clank plane accomplished a scouting mission. MI-24 Hind helicopters escorted four federal columns and a column with humanitarian aid. A rebel camp, two blindages and an observation point were eliminated by air strikes in hard-to reach mountainous areas in Chechnya.
MI-8 Hip and MI-26 Halo transport helicopters transported 59 people and eight tons load in the interests of the federal troops and at the request of the Chechen administration. AN-12 Cub and AN-26 Curl planes airlifted about 10t technical load and 70 servicemen from the combat zone to Mozdok, the main federal base in the North Caucasus. An IL-76 Candid plane transported 198 servicemen and three tons of technical load from Mozdok to central Russia.