BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

23/11/2006

Russia completes delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Belarus

BREST, November 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has delivered the last two S-300 (SA-10 Grumble) anti-aircraft missile systems to Belarus, the Belarusian defense minister said Thursday.

Russia and Belarus signed an agreement on deliveries of S-300 systems in September 2005. Russia delivered two systems in April, and they have already been deployed near Brest, on the border with Poland.

"These are the last systems delivered, and they will be located near Grodno as part of the unified air defense system of Russia and Belarus." Leonid Maltsev said. "The two systems are leaving the station to be put on combat duty."

The unified air defense system is in line with plans to create a Union State that the two former Soviet allies have been working on since 1997, which envisions a common economic, customs, and political space.

Although talks on the Union State stalled recently over a host of issues, including gas prices, military cooperation between the countries seems to be gaining momentum.

Source:

http://en.rian.ru/world/20061123/55925642.html