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Russia sends air defense systems to Syria: report

Xinhua, November 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Russia has sent air defense systems to Syria to protect its forces there, Syria's state news agency SANA said on Thursday, citing a Russian official.

The defense systems are deployed in Syria to protect Russia's war jets operating there and to respond to other emergency situations, SANA said.

"We have taken into consideration all possible threats and sent to Syria not only offense warplanes, launchers and choppers, but also anti-aircraft missile defense systems to use in the extreme scenarios like the possibility of aircraft being hijacked from airbases that are controlled by the Syrian government and targeting our bases," Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev, commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, was quoted as saying.

Russia started airstrikes on militant groups' posts in Syria on Sept. 30, a move hailed by Syrian government officials as "an efficient step" in its war against terrorism. Endit