BICOM

Russia has completed delivery of its S-300 air defence system to Syria, its defence minister said yesterday.

The delivery included 49 pieces of military equipment including radars, control vehicles and four launchers. During a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said a unified air defence control system will be completed by 20 October and Russia will “prepare and train” the Syrian crews to operate the new system within three months.

Shoigu said that Syrian air defence posts will be equipped with automated control systems that were previously only supplied to the Russian military. The delivery of the S-300 system had been suspended in 2013 following a request from Israel, but “the situation has changed. And it’s not our fault” Shoigu said.

Krelmin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision to supply the system was “not directed at any third country. Russia needs to increase the safety of its military and it should be clear for everyone”. On 24 September Shoigu announced that Russia would take a number of measures to enhance safety of its troops in Syria, including the delivery of the S-300 system, after a Russian reconnaissance plane was shot down by Syrian missiles off the coast of Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised Russia’s decision to supply the S-300 system as “irresponsible,” saying Israel “will continue to do what it has to do to defend itself”. On Saturday, a senior unnamed Israeli official admitted that the delivery will pose a “complex challenge” to Israel’s security. The Israeli Air Force has carried out extensive exercises against the S-300 system when it trained with the Greek Armed forces. Israeli military analysts expect that the deployment of the S-300 will mean greater use of the F-35 fighter to hit targets in Syria.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that delivery of the S-300 would be “a serious escalation”.