In the far North at such a height that nobody had jumped before. “For the first time in the history of the world”, — said Deputy Minister of defense of Russia, Lieutenant-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov about the special teachings on the Land of Franz Joseph.
Paratroopers jumping from the plane Il-76, experienced in the extreme conditions of the Arctic-new equipment, particularly oxygen masks, navigational equipment, parachute systems and white camouflage.
“Today, for the first time in history, we held a panel landing personnel parachute systems for special purposes in Arctic conditions with a height of 10 thousand meters of oxygen equipment and the subsequent fulfillment of combat training tasks,” — said the Deputy Minister of defense Lieutenant-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. “This to us has never done,” he added.
For comparison, most civilian parachute jumps performed from a height of 3 to 4 thousand meters.
On the same plane on larger parachutes were dropped and gear soldiers. For the delivery of paratroopers and equipment used transport aircraft Il-76.
Landing was chosen the island of Alexandra Land is the westernmost island of the archipelago of Franz-Joseph. Here at 81 degrees North latitude, Russian Arctic forces built its most Northern military complex with a new runway length of 2,500 meters and a huge infrastructure.
Base in Nagorska equipped with the latest equipment that is necessary for warfare in the Arctic. Is snowmobiles, trucks, helicopters, radar systems and anti-aircraft missiles, such as s-300, designed for increased control over the airspace of the Arctic.
As previously reported by Barents Observer, the chief of the General staff of the Russian Armed forces Valery Gerasimov confirmed that on the Arctic airfields, such as on the Alexandra Land, can be deployed a new ballistic missile air-launched “the Dagger”.
Thanks to the new runway, the airport can use the MiG-31K, as well as large transport aircraft. The airfield was built about 3 kilometers to the West of the runway, abandoned after the cold war.
After landing on the snow Marines conducted tactical-special exercises with units of special purpose. A few dozen of them spent razvedyvatelno-search actions on revealing and destruction of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of imaginary enemy, according to a press release of the Ministry of defence. To search for the enemy used drones.
Exercises on the Northern shore of Alexandra Land in the vicinity of Cape Nimrod in the Eastern edge of the largest on the island glacier lasted three days. Eventually the soldiers got to the collection point and returned to base in Nagorska.
Lieutenant-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov has promised that such drills would be more. “Such exercises, we will conduct annually, in different parts of the Arctic, different composition involved in the different periods of study”.
Before the appointment last summer of the Deputy Minister of defence Yevkurov more than ten years headed the Republic of Ingushetia. In the Land of Franz Joseph Yevkurov observed the exercises together with another Deputy defense Minister, commander of the airborne troops Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov.
