Several of advanced Russia’s S-300 missile systems ordered by Syriahave been built. However the delivery was postponed till the year 2014.
Several of advanced Russia’s S-300 missile systems ordered by Syriahave been built. However the delivery was postponed till the year 2014.
Citing arms industry sources, Vedomosti daily reported Friday that several of the
S-300s have already been built, while the production of the others has been postponed.
The daily said that a batch of the systems was due to be sent to Syria this spring, according to the Russian arms export agency's contract with Damascus, but the systems are now apparently due for delivery no earlier than the summer of 2014.
Syria ordered four S-300 systems in 2011 at a cost of $1 billion, and has paid a deposit of several hundred million dollars, two sources in the arms industry told Vedomosti.
President Vladimir Putin said in June that Moscow had not yet delivered the sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems to the Syrian regime for fear of upsetting the balance of power in the region.
The Russian producer of missiles used in the systems said in April that it had received notice of its contract with Syria being postponed until the summer of 2014, Vedomosti reported.
Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil said on a visit to Moscow in July that all the contracts to deliver arms from Russia to Syria were still in place.
