Russia arms Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

Russia will supply S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Belarus. The weapons will be delivered under contract to Belarus’ anti-aircraft forces, said Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov during his visit to Russia’s southern Astrakhan region where he is observing Comradership-in-Arms-2005 anti-aircraft military training.

Belarus defense minister Leonid Maltsev said the missiles would be positioned at the country’s anti-aircraft unit on the western border, as part of a Russia-Belarus joint anti-aircraft defense system.

Under the command of the Russian air force chief Gen. Vladimir Mikhailov, the final stage of joint military training is taking place at Ashuluk firing range in the Astrakhan region. More than 40 aircraft from Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Tajikistan have participated in exercises.

Representatives from Kazakh, Ukrainian and Kyrgyz air forces are observing the exercises. Unlike 2001 and 2003, when each country had separate command centers, the exercises are now being run from a common command center, Ivanov commented.

Russia’s air force is equipped with more advanced anti-aircraft systems, S-400 or Triumf, Mikhailov said. Triumf systems looked like S-300 systems, but their missiles “flow faster, further and higher,” he said. The anti-aircraft missiles entered service with the Russian army in February 2005.

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