Seshcha, Western European Russia, September 7 (AVN) - Air Force Commander Anatoly Kornukov handed the defence minister's pendant to the commander of a local military transport regiment on Friday.
The regiment led by Colonel Alexander Vinokurov is awarded for courage and high combat skills displayed by its personnel in accomplishment of combat missions, the Military News Agency learned.
The 566th Solnechnogorsk Red-Banner Kutuzov-Order military-transport regiment is among the best in the Air Force, Kornukov said at the award ceremony. Its pilots have accomplished 33 special missions of the Russian government and Defence Ministry this year. At the same time, the regiment has trained four crews of AN-124 Condor planes, four crews for IL-76 Candid planes and eight young crews for AN-124 and IL-76. Its pilots have accomplished missions in 10 countries of the world.
The military transport aviation will soon get IL-76MN and later AN-70 planes, the commander said. Other promising aircraft are expected to be commissioned in some 10 years.