Moscow. July 7. INTERFAX-The Russian military will send the Pantsir-S air defense systems to Serbia in October for exercises, said Sergey Babakov, head of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).
"This year, the Slavic Shield air defense exercise is planned to be held on the territory of the Republic of Serbia in October. From the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Aerospace Forces, combat vehicles of the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun complex are involved in the exercises, "he said in an interview with the newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry Krasnaya Zvezda.
Babakov noted that the plan of the joint exercise provides for the relocation of the attracted forces and means by air to the territory of Serbia and the march of combat vehicles of the anti-aircraft missile and gun complex "Pantsir-S".
According to him, the exercises are planned to work out the reflection of air strikes of a conditional enemy with simulated launches of anti-aircraft guided missiles and conducting anti-aircraft combat with combat launches of anti-aircraft guided missiles at target missiles.
On April 9, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Yuri Grekhov, reported that the Russian military would send air defense units to Serbia for exercises in October.
On October 24, 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the S-400 systems division and the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun systems battery were transferred by military transport aircraft to Serbia to participate in the exercises. The S-400 division and the Pantsir-S battery then took part in exercises abroad for the first time.
On November 5, 2019, the military announced the return to Russia of the S-400 and Pantsir-S, which participated in exercises in Serbia.
As previously reported, Serbia bought six Pantsir-S complexes from Russia.
