Russia may transfer 8 S-300 systems to help Syria cover its airspace

The Russian military could provide Syria with 4-8 S-300 air defense missile systems to help the country protect its entire airspace along the coast and areas bordering Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.ComercialSeptember 25, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The source said Moscow will transfer 2-4 S-300 systems to Damascus in the next two weeks, the rest may be transferred in the future and depends on the actual situation.

The S-300 radar has a range of up to 300 km, helping Syrian air defenses monitor all activities in its entire airspace and detect threats from afar. The S-300 missile can destroy various targets at a maximum range of 195 km.

According toIzvestia, the Russian military is also strengthening its electronic warfare system in Syria by adding modern equipment to the Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province.

The Russian Defense Ministry previously announced that it would use electronic warfare systems to jam spy satellites operating along the Syrian coast to prevent Israel from carrying out airstrikes on the Middle Eastern country. Russia also equipped Syrian air defense forces with modern radar and fire control systems to prevent a repeat of the accidental shooting disaster.

Russia's announcement of supplying S-300 to Syria came after its Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft carrying 15 people was shot down by a Syrian S-200 missile on September 17. The Russian military later announced the results of an investigation, accusing the Israeli F-16 fighter jet of deliberately "hiding" behind a Russian aircraft when attacking a target in Syria, causing the country's air defense to mistakenly target and fire at its ally.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu affirmed that if the measures Moscow took after the Il-20 was shot down were not enough to "cool down hot heads", Russia will continue to "take action according to the situation" to prevent moves that could endanger Russian soldiers in Syria.