Russia to move S-300 missile systems to Syria base

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (UPI) — Russia officials announced they will be moving their S-300 missile defense systems to a base in Syria to ensure safety of flights over the airspace.

The move follows the shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by Turkey over the Syrian border. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the incident a “stab in the back,” and said the Turkish government will face “serious consequences” as a result.

“The S-300 air defense complex will be moved to our air base in Syria. I do hope that this and other measures that we will take will be enough to make flights safe,” Putin told Russian state-owned news agency Tass.

The Kremlin’s defense minister said in an earlier announcement the Russian government would also be moving Russia’s S-400 Triumf air defense systems to the Hmeimim air base in Syria. ITV reports Russia is using the base to stage its airstrike operations in support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fight against both the Free Syrian Army and the Islamic State, Sunni militants also identified as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL.

The S-300 missile defense system is a complex of surface-to-air missiles. Russian officials will also deliver the system to Iran later this year.