MOSCOW. Jan 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Combat training in the Pskov- based 76th airborne division, Russia's first fully professional military unit, will begin with parachute jumps, Major General Vyacheslav Borisov, Airborne Force deputy commander for airborne training, said on Monday.
"The 76th airborne division, where the experiment on transition to professional basis ended recently, started combat training in full volume on January 5. Combat and airborne training begins with a program of parachute jumps from military transport planes," Borisov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"In December last year alone, 2,300 parachute jumps were performed in the division," he said. The division's personnel are scheduled to perform mass parachute jumps in January as well, he added.
Speaking about the missions assigned to the Airborne Force for the winter training period, Borisov said that "the Airborne Force command and staff will focus their efforts on increasing the quality of airborne training, primarily among contracted personnel."
According to him, the 98th airborne division under command of Major General Alexander Lentsov is the leading Airborne Force unit as far as airborne training is concerned. "It is this division whose units will be switched over to professional service from 2004 to 2007," he said.