Inspectors United States and Ukraine will perform flight over Russia

Inspectors United States and Ukraine will perform flight over Russia

Within the framework of the Treaty on Open Skies on Monday the United States and Ukraine inspectors perform an observation flight over Russia, Russian inspectors will fly over Germany, said on Monday the head of the National Center for Nuclear Risk Reduction Sergey Ryzhkov.

"The Russian inspection team plans to carry out an observation flight on the Russian An-30B over German territory. An observation flight the maximum range of up to 1.3 thousand. Kilometers will be carried out during the period from 18 to 22 July 2016 with the Cologne-Bonn airport open skies"

Ryzhkov said that Russian aircraft will be flown to an agreed route and German experts on board will control the order of application of sensors and compliance with the provisions of the contract. Implementation of observation flights under the agreement promotes openness and transparency in the military activities of States Parties, said Ryzhkov. This is the twenty-second observation flight under the Russian contract in 2016, he said.

"From 18 to 23 July 2016 in the framework of the International Treaty on Open Skies mission of the USA and Ukraine will fulfill the joint observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation on the US surveillance plane OS-135B", - continued Ryzhkov. This flight will also take place on an agreed route and Russian specialists on board will monitor adherence to the flight parameters and the use of surveillance equipment, he said.

According to Ryzhkov, OC-135B is not intended for the use of any weapons. The aircraft and aerial cameras mounted on it have passed international certification, with the participation of Russian specialists. It "eliminates the use of technology not covered by the contract," he concluded.

The Open Skies Treaty was signed in 1992 and was one of the confidence-building measures in Europe after the Cold War. It operates since 2002 and allows participating countries to openly gather information on the armed forces and each other's events.

The contract includes the majority of NATO countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and neutral Sweden and Finland. Typically, flights between Russia and NATO countries are held on a reciprocal basis.

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