Russia completes delivery of S-300 system to Syria

Russia decided to supply the system to Syria despite Israeli objections after Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet in Syria in September.

By REUTERS
A missile from the S-300 anti-aircraft system during the International Army Games in Russia (photo credit: REUTERS/MAXIM SHEMETOV)
A missile from the S-300 anti-aircraft system during the International Army Games in Russia
(photo credit: REUTERS/MAXIM SHEMETOV)
MOSCOW - Russia has delivered an S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a meeting broadcasted by Rossiya 24 TV on Tuesday.
"The work was finished a day ago," Shoigu said, adding that the system would allow to improve the security of Russian military personal in Syria.
Russia decided to supply the system to Syria despite Israeli objections after Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet in Syria in September.
According to public broadcaster KAN, Syria paid Russia a billion dollars for the anti-missile system, which will make it much more difficult for Israel to launch defensive air strikes against Iranian-linked targets in that country, as it has done over the last few years.
Netanyahu spoke with Putin about the S-300 delivery to Syria before departing for New York to address the UN last week and he is expected to speak with him next week, after he returns to Israel on Sunday.
The White House previously said it hoped Russia would reconsider the move, which US National Security Adviser John Bolton called a "significant escalation" of Syria's seven-year-old war.
Anna Ahronheim and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report