Russia will Deliver S-300 Systems to Syria

After laying the blame for the incident squarely on Israel, Putin and Shoigu announced Syria will receive a major upgrade to their air defense system as Russia plans to deliver S-300 missile defense systems within two weeks.

Russia delivery shows show Israel who in charge after its electronic warfare plane was brought down during a combined French-Israeli missile attack on Syria last week.

Moscow accused Israel of failing to warn the Russian military of its impending attack in time to move the landing aircraft out of harm’s way.

The deal that Putin gave to Israel was incredible. It [not only] allowed Israel to make air strikes with impunity across the country on targets that it believed to be Hezbollah weapons factories or Iranian military installations.

Russia had also promised to keep pro-Iranian militias away from Syria’s border with Israel and froze a planned delivery of an S-300 long-range air defense system to the Syrian Arab forces.

The deployment of the S-300 would reduce Israel’s ability to strike targets in Syria, although how much would depend on the number of batteries and the skill of the crews that would man them.

Russian experts believe that Israel may tolerate losses during sorties in Syria up to a point, possibly even ramping up attacks by way of retaliation, as was the case with the loss of a fighter jet in February. The worst-case scenario would be a full-blown air war in southern Syria not involving Russia directly.

In addition to the S-300s and no-fly zone, Russian radio electronic combat assets will suppress communications, radars and satellite navigation of any combat aircraft attacking targets in Syria.

A Russian Su-35S has reportedly intercepted a US F-22 over Syria. Russia has also asked for permission to station fighters and bombers at the Nojeh Air Base in Northwestern Iran.

RT.com / ABC Flash Point Arab News 2018.