Russia starts Air Force drills over borders of Belarus and Baltic states

Helicopters of Russia’s army aviation have started drills near the western borders of the country.

It has been stated by the spokesperson for the Western Military District Colonel Oleg Kochetkov to Russian journalists on Wednesday, April 30, RIA Novosti informs.

“Crews of the army aviation brigade of the Western military district stationed in Pskov region, have started scheduled exercises over the North West of Russia. For the first time squadrons of different types of attack helicopters used by the Western military district, MI 28N “Night Hunter” and KA-52 "Alligator", are to rise in the air simultaneously,” Kochetkov said.

According to the plan, crews are to master tasks of flight navigation, piloting techniques, air and ground search, as well as landing on infrastructure-free landing grounds. Mi-8MTV-5 and Mi 26T combat assault transport helicopters are to participate in the exercises as well. Kochetkov noted that the army aviation brigade stationed in Pskov region has received about 50 new combat and transport helicopters of different types in 2013-2014.

Earlier Ukrainian border guards stated that they track transfers of Russian military equipment and helicopters. According to reports of the State Borer Service of Ukraine, movements of Russian armoured vehicles were noticed near the state border.

We remind that on April 24 Russian Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that Rbecause tensions in the South East of Ukraine grow, Russian troops started drills in Rostov region near the Ukrainian border.

Photo: pilot.strizhi.info