Russia begins transferring S-300 missile system to Syria
On September 28, the Russian Foreign Minister announced that his country had begun delivering the S-300 air defense system to Syria, while warning that Western countries were trying to hinder efforts to end the conflict there.
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| Russian S-300 air defense missile. Source: AFP/VNA |
On September 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that his country had begun delivering the S-300 air defense system to Syria.
At the same time, he also warned that Western countries were trying to hinder UN-led efforts to end the seven-year conflict in the Middle Eastern country.
Speaking at a press conference in New York, Foreign Minister Lavrov said: “Russia has begun delivering the S-300 system to Syria and, as the Russian President has affirmed, the measures taken by Russia will ensure 100% safety for our forces in Syria.”
The announcement came after Russia blamed Israel for indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military plane in Syria. Meanwhile, Israel said Syria was responsible for the incident.
Previously, the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft lost contact on the night of September 17 (local time) during an attack by four Israeli F-16 fighter jets on targets in Syria's Latakia province.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Israeli military deliberately created a dangerous situation by using Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems.
A missile launched from Syria's S-200 air defense system mistakenly hit the Il-20 aircraft, killing 15 Russian servicemen on board.
This is the most serious case of accidental fire by the Syrian army since Russia intervened militarily in the country at the request of President Bashar al-Assad in late 2015.
