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Russia launches new Airspace Force

Xinhua, August 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Russia has put on service the Airspace Force as a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces, the country's Defense Ministry said Monday.

The newly-formed force, which is comprised of the Russian Air Force and Airspace Defense Force, is an optimal option of increasing Russia's airspace defense capabilities, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

The new force will combine the tasks of anti-aircraft and anti- missile defense as well as exercising early-warning duties, and it will also be responsible for space monitoring, its newly-appointed Commander Victor Bondarev said.

According to the ministry, the creation of the Airspace Force would neutralize the capabilities of the United States to conduct first strike.

Russian Airspace Defense Force was created in December 2011. In December 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to launch the Airspace Force by mid-2015. Endite