Russia Supplying S-300 To Syria To Have Little Effect On Relations With Israel - Moscow

Russia's decision to supply advanced S-300 air defense systems to Syria should not affect the relations between Russia and Israel, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Monday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2018) Russia's decision to supply advanced S-300 air defense systems to Syria should not affect the relations between Russia and Israel, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia would supply Syria with S-300 air defense systems as part of Moscow's newly-adopted measures aimed at increasing security of Russian servicemen following the crash of a Russian Il-20 military aircraft on September 17. The Russian Defense Ministry has put the blame for the crash on the Israeli Air Force that was carrying out an air operation against Syrian forces in the Latakia province at the time of the incident, saying that the Israeli jets used the Russian aircraft as a shield against Syrian air defense systems.

"I do not think so, it should not," Bogdanov told reporters when asked whether the S-300 supplies would have a negative impact on the Russian-Israeli relations.

He added that it was Russia's and Syria's sovereign right to supply and purchase weapons.

Il-20 was 22 miles off the Syrian coast when it was shot down while returning to the Hmeimim airbase. At the same time, four Israeli F-16 aircraft were bombing Syrian targets in Latakia. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Israel notified Russia of the airstrikes only a minute before their start and provided misleading information concerning the area of the attack and the location of Israeli F-16 jets. The incident claimed the lives of 15 Russian servicemen.