Russia's defense ministry said Tuesday it had sent an S-300 missile system to its naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, a measure it says is meant to bolster its security.
"The S-300 anti-aircraft missile system has indeed been sent to the Syrian Arab Republic," defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement quoted by the AFP news agency.
"I remind you that the S-300 is a purely defensive system and poses no threat to anyone,” he added. "It's not clear why the placement of S-300 in Syria has caused such a stir among our western colleagues.”
The S-300 system is a series of long range surface-to-air missile systems that was developed to intercept ballistic missiles.
It has already made headlines in the context of Russia’s sale of the system to Iran.
Russia's sale of the S-300 systems to Iran, originally agreed upon in 2007, has been repeatedly delayed due to Western pressure given that UN nuclear sanctions ban the delivery to Iran. READ MORE
