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Russia to boost Syrian air defence with S-300 system
MOSCOW, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Moscow will bolster Syria’s air defence
with a S-300 system and jam radars of military planes striking from off the
coast of the Mediterranean following the downing of a Russian plane, its
military chief said.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that President Vladimir Putin has
ordered additional security measures after a Syrian Soviet-era S-200 air
defence missile shot down a Russian military plane by mistake, killing 15, in
an incident last week that Moscow blames on Israel.
“This has pushed us to adopt adequate response measures directed at
boosting the security of Russian troops” in Syria, Shoigu said in a televised
statement.
“(Russia will) transfer the modern S-300 air defence system to the Syrian
armed forces within two weeks.”
Syrian military had already been trained to use the system, which was set
to be sent over in 2013 but was held up “at the request of Israel,” Shoigu
said.
“In regions near Syria over the Mediterranean Sea, there will be radio-
electronic suppression of satellite navigation, on-board radar systems and
communication systems of military aviation attacking objects on Syrian
territory.”
Moscow says Israeli F-16 planes which struck Latakia in western Syria on
September 17 later used the landing Russian Il-20 surveillance plane as a
“cover,” which resulted in the Il-20 being struck by a Syrian air defence
missile.
“We are certain that the realisation of these measures will cool the ‘hot
heads’ and will keep them from poorly thought-out actions which threaten our
servicemen,” Shoigu said.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1639 hrs