Ukrainian intelligence: Russia held military exercises in Crimea
Russia has held regular military exercises in Crimean territory. A Russian anti-aircraft defense group practiced intercepting and hitting air targets, reported the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s press service.
It was noted that units from the 31st division of anti-aircraft defense (Sevastopol), 37th mixed aviation regiment (Hvardiiske) and 38th fighter aviation regiment (Belbek) participated in the exercises.
According to the Ukrainian Intelligence, combat crews from radio-technical units of the 3rd radio technical regiment (Sevastopol), deployed on Cape Tarkhankut, Cape Fiolent, and in the towns of Dzhankoy, Kerch and Feodosia, identified and accompanied air targets, performed hand-offs of the targets to the battalion air-defense systems and directed fighter aviation.
“Air crew of the Su-30 and air-defense units have practiced interception of the targets and simulated target destruction,” the statement reads.
The Ukrainian agency added that holding such exercises in the airspace over the waters of the Black Sea poses a danger for international air traffic, and there is also a high chance that the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was shot down by a Russian Buk missile in July 2014 in the east of Ukraine, could be repeated.