France is worried by Russia's deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Syria, a decision that was announced after a Russian aircraft was downed off the western coast of the crisis-torn country, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said Friday.
PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2018) France is worried by Russia's deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Syria, a decision that was announced after a Russian aircraft was downed off the western coast of the crisis-torn country, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said Friday.
On Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia had completed its delivery of new S-300 systems to Syria, including 49 units of systems-related equipment such as radars, basic target acquisition systems, command posts and four launchers. Syria would be ready to use them in three months, he added.
"France notes with concern Russia's delivery of anti-aircraft defense systems to the Syrian regime ... The delivery of such weapons by Russia maintains the risk of military escalation and erodes the prospect of political settlement," the French official said at a briefing.
The air defense upgrade was announced after a Russian Il-20 military plane was downed on September 17 by a missile launched by a Syrian S-200 air defense system targeting Israeli F-16 jets that were carrying out airstrikes in Latakia. The incident claimed the lives of 15 Russian troops.
The Russian Defense Ministry has blamed the crash on the Israeli Air Force, claiming that the Israeli jets used the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems. Israel has refuted the accusations and insisted that Moscow was warned about the air operation in a timely manner.
