Russia Sends Belarus S-400s, Iskanders to Boost Joint Air Defense – Foreign Ministry

By Staff, Sputnik

Russian S-400 air defense systems and Iskander missile systems supplied to Belarus will increase the effectiveness of joint air defense, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Sputnik.

"In particular, the Belarusian armed forces received the latest Russian weapons – the S-400 air defense systems and short-range ballistic missile systems Iskander," Galuzin said.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday confirmed that Minsk had put Russia-supplied air defense and missile systems on combat duty.

"This should improve the combat capability of the Belarusian army and the efficiency of the unified Russian-Belarusian air defense system," Galuzin emphasized.

Russia’s training of crews of Belarusian combat aircraft, which have been converted to use special ammunition, is a symmetrical response to NATO’s activities, he also said.

"During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s working visit to Minsk on December 19, a decision was made to provide training for the crews of combat aircraft converted for the possible use of ammunition with a special warhead," Galuzin said.

The Russian official specified that the United States with its NATO allies have been carrying out similar activities for decades.

"This particular case is also about a symmetrical response of Russia and Belarus to unfriendly steps of the alliance member states," Galuzin emphasized.

The deputy foreign minister further stressed that allegations that Russia-Belarus joint grouping could be deployed to Ukraine to take part in the special military operation are incorrect.

"The task of the joint Russian-Belarusian military grouping, if necessary, is to repel a potential enemy in the event of an invasion of the territory of the allied Belarus," Galuzin explained.