Syria ready to use S-300 air defence systems in March

The Syrian regime will be ready to use Russian made S-300 air defence systems as of March, after completing training to use them, Russian daily Kommersant reported.

The paper said that as of March it would be possible to deploy one air defence battalion equipped with these missiles to protect Damascus and its surroundings area.

A member of the Russian Federation Council’s defence and security committee, Franz Klintsevich, said the Syrian crews are currently undergoing training, adding that “the Israeli warplanes are now striking Syria because they are still outside the Syrian air defence range, but after the deployment of the S-300, no one will be able to escape them”.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced that the Syrian air defences managed to counter Israeli air strikes on Damascus airport and some installations on Monday.

In November, the Russian Defence Ministry said its advisers were training Syrian military personnel to use the S-300 air defence systems, warning those described as “foreign parties” against any military provocation in Syria.

Former Israeli defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has previously threatened to attack Syria if it uses the system against Israeli jets.

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