Russia, Belarus complete formation of joint air defense system - Russian Aerospace Forces Deputy Commander
TVER. April 6 (Interfax) - Russia and Belarus have complete the formation of their joint air defense system in the East European region of collective security, said Lt. Gen. Pavel Kurachenko, Russia's First Deputy Chief Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces
"The practical realization of the agreement is complete, subsequently our main efforts will be focused on carrying out the joint air defense mission and conducting practical joint operational and combat training drills," he told reporters on Wednesday.
An agreement between Russia and Belarus, regarding the joint protection of the Union State airspace and the creation of a joint regional system, was signed and ratified in 2009, Kurachenko said.
The Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Commander, Maj. Gen. Oleg Dvigalev, has been appointed as commander of the joint regional air defense system.
The Russian and Belarusian defense ministers approved a list of military command bodies, command and control centers, units and sub-units as part of the joint regional air defense systems, as well as an instruction on how to organize and carry out the air defense mission within the joint regional system.
