Moscow confirmed that the situation in Syria has entered a new stage that seeks to prevent violation of Syrian airspace.
This has taken place after Russia has delivered S-300, sophisticated missile systems, despite objections and threats from Israel and Washington.
Military sources reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to promote and deploy an integrated defense system covering all Syrian territory.
Israeli threats and hints that the missile systems could be destroyed if they reached the Syrian army did not succeed in dissuading Moscow from fulfilling its decision to deliver S-300 missile system to Damascus.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a meeting broadcast by Rossiya 24 TV on Wednesday: “The work was finished a day ago,” including a total of four launch platforms.
Shoigu said Russia had supplied Syria with 49 pieces of equipment as part of the delivery of the S-300 air defense system meant to boost security of the Russian taskforce in that country.
“We have completed the delivery of S-300 systems. It included 49 pieces of equipment, including radars, control vehicles, and four launchers," he said.
He said it would take three months to train the Syrian military to operate the new air defense systems while the integration of Russian and Syrian air defense assets into a single automated system will be completed by October 20.
The Russian Defense Ministry released a video of S-300 air defense systems being unloaded in Syria from a Russian-made Antonov ‘An-124’ Ruslan transport aircraft.
The planes, used by the Russian Air Force as well as several cargo operators, were spotted by hobbyists who track aircraft movements (also known as aircraft spotters), on the Russia-Syria route over the past several days.
The first Ruslan plane was spotted arriving at the Hmeimim Air Base near Latakia in Syria on Thursday evening.
Shoigu said that Moscow will take a number of measures to boost the safety of its troops in Syria, including the deliveries of the S-300 systems.
This comes in the wake of the crash of an Il-20 military plane off the coast of Syria, which Russia believes Israel was responsible for.
