Russian deputy FM: Israel must use good judgment over supply of S-300 to Syria

Russia’s deputy foreign minister calls on Israel to exercise proper judgment over the supply of advanced Russian air defenses to Syria amid declarations from Israel that this won’t influence its aerial campaign against Iranian military targets in the country.

Speaking with state-owned Sputnik News, Sergei Vershinin also says the downing of a Russian reconnaissance plane by Syrian anti-aircraft fire during an Israeli strike in Syria last month won’t impact the so-called deconfliction mechanism between the countries.

Russia has blamed the Israeli military for the downing of the plane, charges vigorously denied by Israel, and on Tuesday said it had completed delivering the S-300 air defense system to Syria. Both Israel and the United States have condemned the supply of the S-300 to Syria, warning it could fuel further violence in the region.

Vershinin says the S-300 will change the situation “on the ground” in Syria and stresses they are a defensive measure.

“Indeed, the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems have been installed, this is a qualitatively new level of air defense, I will emphasize defense,” he says.

We hope that #Israel colleagues will behave rationally in terms of actions in #MiddleEast.We proceed from the fact that the fight against terrorism is necessary but at the same time #Syria should not turn into an arena for settling accounts, Deputy Foreign Minister Vershinin said pic.twitter.com/0n8MT0HSW4

— Russia in Israel (@israel_mid_ru) October 4, 2018