ASHULUK, Astrakhan region. Sept 14 (Interfax-AVN) - Two battalions of the air defense regiment, deployed in the Volga-Ural Military District, have successfully launched S-300PM missiles at the Ashuluk site in the Astrakhan region.
Both of the battalions hit the targets designated for them. Moreover, the targets were destroyed with the first missiles and the missiles of the second wave just hit the debris, an Interfax-Military News Agency correspondent reports.
Air Defense Army Commander Major General Viktor Sevostyanov said that the missiles were launched in adverse situation. The targets, one of which was aeroballistic, were launched under cover of medium intensity countermeasures. Nevertheless, electronic warfare sections under Colonel Sergei Korobtsev detected them at the marginal range. It took less than a minute to engage the targets.
During the week preceding the live shooting, the sections were taking exams to prove qualified for launching missiles, while inspectors were inspecting the readiness of alert forces and materiel.
The most distinguished servicemen of the regiment, including but not limited to battalions' commanding officers Lt. Col. Andrei Osadchy and Lt. Col. Radik Agriullin, received prizes.
The air defense regiment that performed the launches is commanded by Colonel Igor Burkovsky. The regiment was formed in Voronezh in 1941. During World War II its servicemen shot down 107 airplanes, destroyed 43 tanks, 17 mortar companies, and over 3,600 enemy personnel. The regiment was equipped with the S-75 and S-200 air defense systems in the 1960s, and received state of the air S-300PMs in 1987 which have been in service ever since.