War in Ukraine: Russia claims to have conducted air defense exercises near Moscow

Moscow is preparing. Russia announced on Saturday that it had carried out air defense exercises in the Moscow region, to protect its essential infrastructure in case of “air strikes”, in the context of the conflict with Ukraine.

“More than 150 soldiers” participated

“Exercises were conducted in the Moscow region, with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District, to repel air strikes against important military, industrial and administrative infrastructures,” the Russian Security Ministry reported. launching.

According to the ministry, the Russian soldiers who participated in these trainings were trained in the use of “S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.”

In total, “more than 150 soldiers and more than 30 pieces of weapons, military and special equipment” participated in these exercises, the same source said. However, the Russian Defense did not specify when these exercises took place.

Defense systems already installed in Moscow

Asked if Russia feared Moscow was a target, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to answer on Friday, referring the question to the Defense Ministry.

Russia has already installed air defense systems on the roofs of its capital this week and early January. The Ministry of Defense and the Department of Education are remarkably equipped.

kyiv expects deliveries of long-range missiles

The United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark have already made individual announcements of major new arms deliveries to the country, including armored vehicles and high-precision, long-range missiles.

Washington pledged on Thursday to provide 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers and 59 Bradley light armored vehicles as part of a new tranche of aid, after announcing delivery of another 50 Bradleys a week earlier and light battle tanks. French AMX-10 RC.

The Kremlin had issued a message in the form of a threat on Thursday, before the meeting of Ukraine’s allies in Germany to coordinate military aid sent to Kyiv. Moscow had warned that sending long-range weapons would bring the conflict to a “new level that would not bode well for European security.”