Russian FM Lavrov says, have started delivery of S-300 missile system to Syria
On Friday, September 28, the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov said in a press conference at United Nations that Russia has started deployment of new S-300 air defence missile system in Syria for safety and security of Russian forces in Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to deploy modern S-300 air defence missile defence system in Syria within two weeks after a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft was downed during a missile attack by Israeli jets in Northwestern Syria. Moscow blamed Israel for downing its military aircraft.
Lavrov said, “The delivery has been started already. As President Putin said, after that incident … the measures that we will take will be devoted to ensuring 100 percent safety and security of our men”.
Russian FM Lavrov: ‘Delivery of S-300 to Syria regime has begun’ https://t.co/424quVEiBS pic.twitter.com/0z0Tyb8Odr
— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) September 29, 2018
Israel sees deployment of Russian S-300 missile system with Syrian forces as a threat to its security and sovereignty. According to Prime Minister Office of Israel, in a phone call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian President Putin that “transferring advanced weapon systems into irresponsible hands will increase the danger in the region”.
Russian leader’s comments came days after US National Security Advisor, John Bolton warned Russia on deployment of S-300 missile system in Syria saying that it will be “a big mistake”.
US NSA Bolton said on Monday, “We think introducing the S-300 to the Syrian government would be a significant escalation by the Russians and something that we hope, if these press reports are accurate, they would reconsider”.
Iran and Syria has warned Israel earlier that if Israel will regret if it attacks Syria further. In response to that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will continue its mission in Syria to prevent Iran from its permanent military establishment in Syria.
On Friday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said that the S-300 missile system would help close the Syrian sky for Israeli warplanes.
