S-400 air defense system enters combat duty in Syria - Defense Ministry

MOSCOW, November 26. /TASS/. Russia’s S-400 air defense system has entered duty at the Hmeimim air base accommodating Russia’s air and space group in Syria, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov has told the media. "In accordance with the decision of Russia’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief an air defense complex S-400 has been promptly delivered to the Russian air base in Hmeimim in Syria. It has been deployed and entered combat duty to provide air defense for the area," he said. Moscow made the decision to bring its S-400 air defense complexes to Hmeimim after Turkey last Tuesday downed a Russian Sukhoi-24 front-line bomber. One crew member was killed and the other, rescued and taken to the Russian base. Ankara argues that the Russian plane had violated Turkish airspace. According to the Russian Defense Ministry the Sukhoi-24 stayed over Syrian territory all the time and there was no violation of Turkish airspace. Read more