Syria Expects Delivery of Russian S-300 in 2 Weeks – Foreign Minister

Damascus hopes that Russian S-300 air defense systems would “completely cover the Syrian sky”, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Friday.

“According to [Russian] Defense Minister [Sergei] Shoigu, we will receive them within two weeks,” Muallem told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The minister added he hoped that the Russian S-300 systems

Earlier, Russia announced that it would provide Syria with the S-300 air defense system as part of its response to the destruction of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane over the country last week with 15 airmen onboard. The Russian military accused the Israeli Air Force of callously using the Il-20 as a shield during an attack on targets in Syria, which led to the plane’s accidental destruction by a Syrian air defense battery.

As part of its response, Russia will also provide Syria with automatic control and management systems previously available only to the Russian Armed Forces, and provide it with the ability to jam satellite navigation, radar and communication systems of combat aircraft which attempt to strike targets over Syrian territory.

Sputnik