RUSSIAN AIR FORCES CAPABLE OF DEFENDING ANY CIS COUNTRY – COMMANDER

Interfax
Feb 10 2009
Russia

The Russian Air Forces are capable of defending the air frontiers
of any member of the joint air defense system of the Commonwealth of
Independent States, should its border be violated, Russian Air Force
Commander Lt. Col. Alexander Zelin said.

"We will of course be involved in the defense of any of the CIS’s
member-state," Zelin told the press on Tuesday.

The CIS joint air defense system was formed in 1995, based on an
interstate agreement, signed by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

"But the joint defense of the air space did not in fact involve all
of the signatories to the agreement. Georgia and Turkmenistan were
not, while Uzbekistan and Ukraine signed bilateral agreements on
cooperation with Russia" the commander said.

The joint air defense grouping currently comprises seven air defense
brigades; 46 air defense missile units armed with S-125, S-75,
S-200 and S-300 systems of various modifications; 23 fighter jet
units with MiG-29, Mig-31 and Su-27 fighter jets at their disposal,
22 radar formations and units, and two radio-electronic warfare units.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress