Russia Says Held Training Exercise On ‘Repelling’ Air Attacks In Moscow: Report

New Delhi: The Russian defense ministry said on Saturday that it held a training exercise on repelling air attacks in the Moscow region, news agency AFP reported.

“In the Moscow region, a training session was held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District on repelling air attacks on important military industrial and administrative facilities,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.

The statement further said a S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was involved in the training program as combat was simulated.

“As they marched, soldiers repelled an attack by a mock enemy sabotage group on a military convoy,” the statement said, adding, “Under the cover of a smoke screen, the air defense convoy was able to get out of the attack and continue fulfilling its tasks.”

According to the defense ministry, a total of 150 soldiers took part in the exercises. However, it did not mention where in the Moscow region, which surrounds the Russian capital, the air defense training took place.

Earlier on Friday, the Kremlin declined to say if authorities were preparing for strikes on the capital. Since launching its offensive in Ukraine almost a year back, Russia has sustained several drone attacks attributed to Kyiv as well as some strikes on the border regions.

Meanwhile, Russia has been stepping up its air defenses in Moscow amid fears of a full-scale attack on the capital city from Ukraine. An anti-air system has been installed near President Vladimir Putin’s official residence outside the capital, as per local media reports.

A Pantsir-S1 defense system was seen on the roof of the Russian defense ministry’s National Defense Management Center (NTsUO) on Frunzenskaya Embankment, which is the command center of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, news agency IANS reported.

According to reports, photographs of the S-400 missile defense system appeared in two locations, in fields belonging to the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, and another in Losiny island in a national park.