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, Interfax reported.
"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.
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