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Security Council /
Vladimir Putin held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council where Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on the delivery of S-300 systems and other equipment to improve security for Russian service personnel in Syria. Current issues of the domestic agenda were also discussed.
Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.
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Beginning of the meeting with permanent members of the Security Council
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening, colleagues.
Before we take up the main issue we wanted to discuss today, I would ask the Defence Minister to report on progress in carrying out my instructions on Syria. Mr Shoigu, please.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu: Mr President, colleagues,
In accordance with the President’s decision, we have started taking a series of measures to enhance the air defence systems of the Syrian Arab Republic, primarily to safeguard our service personnel.
We have completed the delivery of S-300 systems. It includes 49 units of equipment, illuminating laser radars, major emitter location systems, command vehicles and four launchers. The work was completed a day ago. We have completed the delivery of the full system to Syria.
Apart from that, we have significantly strengthened and activated the electronic warfare system, and added extra equipment to it. As a result, as of today we control the close zone of up to 50 kilometres and the remote zone, where sorties on Syrian territory mainly originate from, we control 200 kilometres of that.
As to the unified command system of the overall air defence network, we have also begun equipment deliveries. We will complete the work together with training and readying the crews and forming a single network by October 20.
Vladimir Putin: How long will it take to train the crews of the Syrian army to operate the S-300?
Sergei Shoigu: Three months.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you.
Sergei Shoigu: Also, the necessary personnel and specialists have been selected and started training.
Vladimir Putin: Fine, thank you.
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October 2, 2018, The Kremlin, Moscow