The new Russian Aerospace Forces began work today, said their spokesman Colonel Alexey Zolotuknin, RIA Novosti reports.
The new forces were formed on the initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Their service means the disbanding of the Space Forces. The new forces will detect, destroy, suppress and cover objects.
The first aerospace forces took control over systems for missile detection, defenses from missiles, monitoring of satellite launching. The honorary ceremony was held at the Zarya Village on Moscow outskirts.
General-Lieutenant Oleg Ostapenko, Commander of the Aerospace Forces, and General-Colonel Alexander Zelin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Forces, took command of the first shift on duty.
Over 3,000 troops and civilian staff will be on duty daily. the Aerospace Forces include space command, air command and anti-missile command and the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Interfax reports.
