RUSSIA TO TAKE MEASURES TO INCREASE SYRIAN AIR DEFENSE CAPABILITIES

© Valeriy Melnikov / Sputnik

Moscow will implement measures to increase the effectiveness of the Syrian air defense system, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Friday.

“A number of measures aimed at strengthening and improving the effectiveness of the Syrian air defense system will be implemented in the near future in order to protect the vital parts of the Syrian infrastructure,” Konashenkov said, commenting on the US missile strike against the ash Shayrat military airfield located near the Syrian city of Homs.

Konashenkov added that Russian air defense units in Syria are on duty round-the-clock.

“The Russian air defense system in the Syrian Arab Republic is aimed at protecting certain facilities and objects. The S-400, S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and the Pantsir-S1… complex provide solid protection to the Russian bases from the air.”

He once again emphasized that there are two groups of the Russian defense systes in the area:

• S-400 and Pantsir systems protect the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airbase;
• S-300 and Pantsir systems protect the Russian naval facility in Tartus.