Moscow Air Defense To Be Downsized, Receive Su-27's

This document, a Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) daily report from April 10, 1993, details the status and future of the Moscow air defense system (PVO). The report notes that the PVO system is capable of managing over 1,000 aircraft and cruise missiles, a capability validated by a recent tactical exercise where 26 out of 27 targets were destroyed. Despite this performance, the system is slated for a 10 to 15 percent reduction in combat capacity around Moscow, specifically impacting missile and aviation units, with the southern flank expected to be most affected. The report highlights the introduction of the Su-27 aircraft into the Moscow air defense inventory. Pilots from the Bezhetskiy PVO air regiment began operating these aircraft in November, with additional units sourced from Latvia, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. The Su-27 is described as having outstanding performance, capable of versatile flight maneuvers. The report mentions that two squadrons in the Bezhetskiy regiment have already been equipped with the Su-27, and a third is expected to follow, with plans for testing at an Astrakhan range. The report is framed by a commentary from Dmitriy Kholodov, titled 'Holiday Treats. Waiting for a Matthias Rust,' which references the historical breach of Soviet airspace by Matthias Rust as a point of comparison for the current state of the air defense system.