Ekaterinburg. September 20. INTERFAX-The armed forces of Russia and Kazakhstan have completed the formation of an air group to participate in the joint anti-terrorist exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states "Peace Mission-2021" at the Donguz training ground in the Orenburg Region, the press service of the Central Military District (CVO) reported on Monday.
"The exercise involves 30 aircraft and helicopters, including Su-34 multifunctional fighter-bombers, Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft, Su-25 attack aircraft, Mi-24 attack helicopters and Mi-8 transport and combat helicopters, as well as Il-76 aircraft," the report says.
According to the military, the aviation group, which is based at three airfields in the Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions, includes flight crews from five regions of the Russian Federation, the joint Russian military base "Kant" in Kyrgyzstan and pilots of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan.
The joint anti-terrorist exercise of the armed forces of the SCO countries "Peace Mission-2021" will be held on September 20-24 at the Donguz training ground in the Orenburg Region, for the first time the military contingent of Belarus will take part in it.
About 5.5 thousand servicemen and more than 1.2 thousand units of weapons, military and special equipment will be involved in the exercise.
The main objectives of the exercise are to improve the coherence of the governing bodies of the coalition group of troops in the preparation and conduct of a joint anti-terrorist operation, exchange experience in countering terrorism, as well as mastering the basic tactical techniques and methods of action of the forces (troops) under the leadership of the joint military administration body.
"The implementation of combat training tasks during the exercise" Peace Mission-2021 " will be carried out taking into account the development of the military-political situation in the Central Asian region. The units will work out ways to counteract new tactical techniques used by international terrorist organizations, combat unmanned aerial vehicles, prevent terrorist attacks using chemical and biological weapons, " the Central Military District noted.