CIS Air Forces Preparing For Exercises In Southern Russia
MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - The final stage of CIS unified air defense exercises involving field firing will be held at Ashuluk training ground in Astrakhan region on August 22 through 30, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Mikhailov told Interfax on Wednesday.

"The final stage of the exercises will involve over 2,000 servicemen as well as S-300 (SA-10 Grumble), S-125 (SA-3 Goa) and S-75 (SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missile systems, Su-24 frontline bombers, Su-25 ground attack aircraft, Su-27, MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighters, and A-50 AWACS aircraft," he said.

"The exercises will involve over 40 aircraft from Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Russia. Other CIS countries conducted their exercises at their training grounds in June, July and the beginning of August," Mikhailov said.