Kremlin: Russia completed delivery of S-300 missile systems to Syria
Russia completed the delivery of the S-300 antiaircraft system to Syria despite Israel's protests and Washington's fears that the delivery of the anti-aircraft system will strengthen Iran and will lead to an escalation of the Syrian conflict.
“The work was completed one day ago,” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu reported to President Vladimir Putin during a meeting, a fragment of which was broadcast on the Russa-24 state-run TV channel. Shoygu added that anti-aircraft systems will serve as an additional security measure for Russian military forces in Syria.
Moscow decided to deliver the S-300 anti-aircraft missile to the war-struck region after a Russian military airplane was shot down in Syria. The Kremlin accused the Israeli military of provocation, which resulted in the destruction of the Russian aircraft.
Israeli authorities expressed condolence over the death of 15 Russian soldiers and blamed the Syrian military forces for the incident. In addition, Jerusalem assured that it will continue bombing the Iranian armed forces located near the Israeli border in Syria.
The spokeswoman of the US State Department Heather Nauert could not confirm the fact of the delivery of the S-300 air defense missile systems to Syria.
“I cannot confirm that that this is accurate. I hope that they did not,” she said during a press briefing in Washington. She said that if the delivery did take place, it could lead to a “serious escalation” in Syria.