Russian Officials: S-300 Missiles in Syria Can Cool the "Hotheads"

May 30, 2013 • 10:47AM

While Moscow has remained ambiguous about whether or not the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems that they are contracted to supply to Syria are actually on their way, the Russian leaders are clear on their intention to deliver them, despite pressure from the U.S. and Israel to stop the deal.

"We understand the concerns and signals sent to us from different capitals. We realize that many of our partners are concerned about the issue," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, yesterday. "We have no reason to revise our stance." He specifically said, reported the Washington Post, that the S-300 could be a deterrent against foreign intervention and could not be used against Syrian rebels, who, of course, have no air force. "We believe that such steps to a large extent help restrain some 'hotheads' considering a scenario to give an international dimension to this conflict," he said.

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, stressed the same points in an interview, yesterday, with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. Churkin said that the S-300 systems "are specifically designed not to be a part of any kind of a domestic confrontation or domestic civil war." He stressed that Russia is "against foreign military intervention in Syria. So, to the extent those systems, if deployed in Syria, can deter foreign military intervention, I think it will help focus minds on a political settlement. This is what we need to do if we want this conference in Geneva to be convened and to be successful eventually."

As for who the "hotheads" might be, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon was widely quoted in Israeli and U.S. media threatening to bomb the S-300 deliveries if and when Russia makes them to Syria. "The shipments are not on their way yet," he is reported to have said, yesterday. "This I can say. I hope they will not leave, and if, God forbid, they reach Syria, we will know what to do." Churkin said in response that there are, in fact, great risks involved in doing anything around the Syrian conflict, but expressed confidence that "the Israelis, too, will keep their heads cool and will refrain from reckless actions."

When S-300 systems would be operational in Syria is another question. The Washington Post reported that, according to Russian military analysts, it would take up to a year to train Syrian crews to operate them, training that would include live fire exercises on Russian territory, and there's no sign that such training has even begun. Therefore, in order for the systems to be operational in Syria much sooner, they would have to be manned by Russian crews, a possibility that has been neither broached nor denied.