Russia slams Greece plan to send S-300 defence systems to Ukraine

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has criticised Greece’s plans to supply Ukraine with the Russian-made S-300 defence system, describing them as “provocative and hostile” moves against Moscow.

“We view the provocative plans on the delivery of S-300 air-defence systems and its other modifications produced in the Soviet Union or Russia as an openly hostile move aimed against Russia,” Zakharova said yesterday.

Zakharova warned the Greek authorities that by sending weapons to Ukraine, “they become direct accomplices of Ukrainian neo-Nazis,” and violate the military agreements concluded between Athens and Moscow in 1995 and 2013 which prohibit Greece from transferring Russian weapons to a third party without Moscow’s consent.

According to the Russian official, the Greek authorities have recently intensified their statements about their readiness to supply Ukraine with S-300 PMU1 air defence systems on the condition that they receive an additional number of US Patriot air defence missile systems to replace them.

READ: Greece to test Russia S-300 air defence missile system