Defence Minister: Russia would reconsider supplying Syria with S-300 missile defence system

Russia would reconsider supplying the Syrian regime with S-300 missile defence systems; Russian Defence Minister, Sergey Shoygu said in a statement reported by Russian Interfax news agency.

According to the minister, Russia refused several years ago to supply Syria with S-300 missiles defence system at the request of Israel and a number of Western countries”.

He added that “in light of the recent US-British-French aggression against Syria, Moscow is ready to review its position”.

The S-300 defence system is more sophisticated than any Syrian anti-aircraft missile system, Israeli media reported Israeli army officials as saying.

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The sources explained that the system can drop aircrafts as well as ballistic missiles over a distance of more than 150 kilometers.

Israeli Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper reported in April that the Syrian regime had asked Russia to provide it with the S-300 missile defence system, and the Iranians were willing to finance the deal, but, under pressure from the US and Israel, Moscow refused.

In a related context, Shoygu called on Israel and Iran to exercise restraint, saying that a military confrontation between Israel and Iran in Syria would lead to instability in the region.

He added that Russia insists on the need to resort to dialogue in addressing differences between the two sides.

Shoygu remarks coincide with visits by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas and an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, to Russia.