Moscow has sent its latest S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile systems to the Balkans for their first ever exercise abroad.
The S-400’s, along with a battery of Pantsir’s, were deployed at Batajnica Air Base, 25 km from Serbia’s capital, Belgrade. They are there to take part in the ‘Slavic Shield 2019’ joint military drill.
It is the first Russian-Serbian exercise of its kind, as well as the first time Moscow’s state-of-the-art air defense missile systems have taken part in a defense drill abroad.
Serbian troops had the opportunity to observe the S-400’s in action last month, when the first phase of the drill was launched in southern Russia.
The countries share a long history of friendly relations and, despite being surrounded by NATO member states, Belgrade remains Russia’s closest ally in the Balkans.
Last year, Russia delivered jets, helicopters, tanks, APC’s, and radars to Serbia. The country is currently expecting a delivery of Pantsir-S1s, while some of its politicians expressed interest in obtaining the top of the line S-400’s as well.
S-400’s were recently purchased by Turkey and India to defend their most valuable objects. Both states were pressured by the USA to scrap the contracts but both sovereign nations went ahead with the deals anyway.
The S-400, being a SAM system, is designed to shoot down ANY attacking aircraft or missile flying into its defense domain.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2019.
