Russia has said it is to supply its ally Syria with more advanced anti-missile technology, and jam radar signals in the eastern Mediterranean, after a deadly incident of friendly fire.
Moscow will send newer S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems to Syria within the next two weeks, Sergei Shoigu, defence minister, said in a statement on Monday.
The missile system, originally developed by the Soviet military but since modernised, fires missiles from trucks and is designed to shoot down military aircraft and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The decision came a week after Israeli F-16 planes struck targets near Moscow’s air base in Latakia, western Syria, prompting the Syrian government to respond.
Its unsophisticated air defence missiles instead hit a Russian Il-20 surveillance plane, killing all 15 servicemen onboard.
AFP
Russian officials said Syria’s outdated S-200 systems were unable to identify the Russian plane as a friendly one.
“This forced us to take adequate response measures aimed at improving the security of Russian military personnel,” Mr Shoigu said.
He said the supply of S-300s and so-called "friend or foe" identification technology to Syria will "calm down some hotheads" whose actions "pose a threat to our troops."
The missile defence systems had been on order since 2013, Mr Shoigu revealed, but it had been delayed at the request of the Israelis who feared it would be used against them.
Mr Shoigu also announced Russia would be blocking satellite navigation, airborne radar and communication systems of combat aviation in the eastern Mediterranean, which could prevent Israel from carrying out sorties off the coast of Syria.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, told Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, in a phone call that giving the S-300 to "irresponsible players" would make the whole region more dangerous.
John Bolton, Donald Trump’s national security advisor, warned Russia that it would be a "major mistake" to provide the Syrian regime with the S-300 system.
Mr Bolton also said US troops would remain in Syria as long as Iran keeps forces in the country.
The S-300 could also serve as a deterrent against UK, US, or French strikes the three countries have threatened against the Syrian regime in the event of another chemical attack.
Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
Israel has for more than a year been bombing Iranian and Lebanese Hizbullah bases and munitions factories inside Syria that it sees as a threat to its national security. Russia agreed to turn a blind eye unless the Syrian regime itself was directly targeted.
An Israel Defense Forces delegation travelled last week to Moscow in an attempt to ease the tensions caused by the incident – the deadliest for Russians caused by friendly fire since they intervened on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad in 2015.
The delegation, headed by the commander of the air force, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, offered Russian Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Andrey Yudin their view of what transpired. However, the Kremlin has continued to blame Israel for the incident, and on Monday accused Israeli pilots of "premeditated actions", warning it will harm relations between the two countries.
"According to [the] information of our military experts, the reason (behind the downing) was premeditated action by Israeli pilots which certainly cannot but harm our relations," Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said.
Tass
President Vladimir Putin had attempted to defuse tensions with its ally, saying it had been a tragic accident.
Analysts said Moscow’s latest move was as much about reining in Israel as it was about controlling its own partners in Syria.
“Moscow’s decision to provide Syrian forces with S-300 air defense system and Russian personnel to operate them is aimed at making Israel more careful in the vicinity of Russian assets, while also controlling Syrian allies,” said Dmitri Trenin, director of Carnegie Moscow Centre. “Russian MoD is stepping up as a leading player in Syria.”
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