Russian Air Defense Troops to Fire Some 500 Missiles in Siberian Drills

Russian air defense troops will launch some 500 anti-aircraft missiles to bring down improvised enemy planes in large-scale drills that kicked off in Buryatia, Alexander Gordeev, the head of the Russian Eastern Military District's (EMD) press service, said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The exercise will use anti-aircraft missile defense systems such as S-400, S-300, Tor, Osa, Strela-10 and Pantsir-S, as well as anti-aircraft guns such as self-propelled Shilka and MANPADS such as Igla, according to Gordeev.

"Air defense units will practice by detecting, tracking, identifying and destroying rapid small target missiles. Around 250 target missiles and two cruise missiles will be used to imitate improvised enemy air raids, and some 500 anti-aircraft missiles will be used to destroy them," Gordeev said.

A total of some 8,000 troops are taking part, with over 1,000 pieces of military hardware involved.

The drills are taking part on the Telemba training range in the Republic of Buryatia.

On Wenesday, it was reported that Russian Pacific Fleet anti-submarine destroyers participated in naval drills in the Sea of Japan.