Moscow has announced that it will send a modern S-300 system to the Syrian army within two weeks to bolster Syria’s air defense after a Russian plane was downed last week. The Kremlin said the installation of S-300 and the blocking of navigation and satellite systems, as well as communications of warplanes operating in the eastern Mediterranean, is aimed at increasing safety of Russian military.
The deployment of the S-300 has been viewed as an aggressive measure towards Israel, which has been accused by Russia for premeditate downing of the aircraft. However, the Kremlin has maintained that the deployment is just a mere security precaution to protect its forces in Syria and not directed at any third country.
Moscow has blamed Israel for the accidental shooting down of the aircraft with 15 people onboard. The Israeli military, however, said that Syria’s indiscriminate air defense fire was the cause of the plane crash. The S-300 was a deal that had been signed with Syria in 2013, but Israel put its foot down on negotiation with Russia and Russia decided that it was going to hold off delivering these units.
Despite the rising tensions between Russia and Israel, the S-300 will boost the war against ISIS who are still occupying the last few pockets near the border with Iraq.
