YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Seven CIS countries will test the combat readiness of the Joint CIS Air Defense System during exercises starting September 11, the Russian defense ministry said.

The exercises aim at perfecting the Air Defense System’s application against aircraft violating the state borders of the CIS countries.

Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are participating in the exercises.

The drills will focus on scenarios of countermeasures against airspace breaches, hijacked aircraft, as well as assistance to the crews of crashed aircraft.

More than 130 command centers in 7 countries are initiated for the drills. More than 60 aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers, are participating in the exercises.

Earlier on September 5, the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had said that the intensity of NATO reconnaissance flights near Russian borders has increased 30% compared to 2019.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan