Moscow: Moscow is sending an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria, two Western officials and a Russian source said, as part of what the West believes is stepped-up military support for embattled President Bashar Al Assad.
The Western officials said the SA-22 system would be operated by Russian troops, rather than Syrians. It was on its way to Syria but had not yet arrived.
“This system is the advanced version used by Russia and it’s meant to be operated by Russians in Syria,” said one of the sources, a Western diplomat who is regularly briefed on US, Israeli and other intelligence assessments.
A US official separately confirmed the information.
The Russian source, who is close to the Russian navy, said the delivery would not be the first time Moscow had sent the SA-22 system, known as Pantsir-S1 in Russian, to Syria. It had been sent in 2013, the source said.
“There are plans now to send a new set,” the source said, without detailing how far along the process was.
However, the Western diplomat said the version of the SA-22 on its way to Syria was newer than previous missile systems deployed there.
Syrian officials could not be reached for comment.
The United States has been leading a campaign of air strikes in Syrian air space for a year, joined by aircraft from European and regional allies including Britain, France, Jordan and Turkey. US forces operating in the area are concerned about the potential introduction of the weapon, the diplomat said.
US officials say they believe Moscow has been sending troops and equipment to Syria, although they say Russia’s intentions are not clear.
Lebanese sources have told Reuters that Russian troops have begun participating in combat operations on behalf of the Al Assad government. Moscow has not commented on those reports.
Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up naval training exercises off the Syrian coast in recent months and is preparing to hold more drills, according to several sources.
A squadron of five Russian naval ships, equipped with guided missiles, has set off to conduct manoeuvres in Syrian territorial waters, including possibly firing rockets, a source close to the Russian navy told Reuters on Friday.
“They will train to repulse an attack from the air and to defend the coast, which means firing artillery and testing short-range air defence systems, “ the source said, adding that the exercise had been agreed with the Syrian government.
News of the drill coincided with calls from Russia for Washington to restart direct military-to-military cooperation to avert “unintended incidents” near Syria.
