S-300 Deliveries to Syria to Help Make Russia Reliable Arms Supplier, Friend - Arab League

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2018) Russia's planned delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Syria will help establish Russia as a reliable weapons supplier and a friend, the ambassador of the League of Arab States (LAS) to Russia, Jaber Habib Jaber, told Sputnik.

On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia would take a number of measures to boost safety of its troops in Syria, including the deliveries of the S-300 system, in the wake of the Il-20 crash.

"From the point of view that it [S-300] is keeping the balance between Syria and Israel, I think it is better for Syria and for other Arab countries because ... they are looking forward to have more advanced weapons to protect their own security and this is to give a proof that Russia is a reliable source [of weapons] for the Arab world as a friend," Jaber said.

On September 17, the Il-20 plane was downed by a missile launched by Syria's S-200 air defense system. The Syrian system was targeting Israeli F-16 jets that were attacking the facilities in the Syrian province of Latakia. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Israel notified Russia of its operation only a minute before the attack.

Russia has blamed the incident, which claimed the lives of 15 troops, on Israel and said that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used the Russian Il-20 as a shield.