Russian Air Force to start exercise in East Siberia on Friday

The MiG-31BM fighters will drill interception of simulated enemy’s aircraft in an exercise in Russia’s Buryatia Republic, Siberia, the press service of the Central Military District reported on Thursday. The exercise participants will also conduct combat training launches of missiles from the S-300PS antiaircraft systems.
"More than 15 crews of the MiG-31BM fighter-interceptors will drill downing of simulated enemy’s planes during joint tactical flight training with the use of air weapons and live fire exercise using the S-300PS air defense missile systems at the Telemba range in Buryatia," the press service said.

Pilots will hit heat-contrast targets that will be simulating the enemy planes, with "air-to-air" missiles.

"The redeployment [of the MiG-31BM fighter-interceptors] to the Domna airfield (Transbaikal territory) from airfields of the Perm and Krasnoyarsk territories will be conducted tomorrow. The pilots will have to cover about 3,800 kilometres," the district press service said.

Combat crews of the Novosibirsk antiaircraft defence division within the manoeuvres framework will drill repelling a massive air strike of the simulated enemy.