Moscow. April 19. INTERFAX-Command and staff training (KSHT) with military authorities, formations and military units has started on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, the headquarters of the Eastern Military District (VVO) reported on Monday.
"During the training, the military command bodies, formations and military units of the army corps work out the coherence of actions when bringing them to the highest levels of combat readiness and improve the practical skills of officers in the management of troops during combat training tasks," the report says.
KSHT-planned, carried out as part of a control check for the winter training period, informs the headquarters of the VVO.
According to him, about 1 thousand servicemen take part in the training, more than 150 units of military and special equipment are involved.
In recent years, Russia has significantly increased its military grouping on the Kuril Islands. In particular, in April 2019, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the introduction of an air defense combat duty zone on the Kuril island of Kunashir. On December 1, 2020, the VVO reported that the S-300V4 air defense system (Almaz-Antey concern of the East Kazakhstan Region) was deployed on the Kuril Islands. In the fall of 2016, it was reported that Russia had deployed new coastal missile systems "Bal" and "Bastion"on Iturup and Kunashir.
According to open data, at the airport "Yasny" on the island of Iturup, multi-purpose Su-35 fighters (the company "Sukhoi") are located. The Russian military reported on the creation of an airfield on the Kuril island of Matua, which accepts light military transport aircraft. In 2016, it was reported about plans to create a base for Russian Navy ships on Matua.
A machine-gun and artillery division has been deployed on the Kuril Islands. In May 2017, the press service of the VVO reported that the division receives new samples of weapons and military equipment, including drones.
